History, law and land : the languages of native policy in New Zealand's general assemby, 1858-62 : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in History at Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
Loading...
Date
2008
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
This thesis explores the languages of Native policy in New Zealand’s General
Assembly from 1858 to 1862. It argues, aligning with the scholarship of Peter
Mandler and Duncan Bell, that a stadial discourse, which understood history as a
progression from savage or barbarian states to those of civility, was the main
paradigm in this period. Other discourses have received attention in New Zealand
historiography, namely Locke and Vattel’s labour theory of land and Wakefield’s
theory of systematic colonization; but some traditions have not been closely
examined, including mid-Victorian Saxonism, the Burkean common law tradition,
and the French discourse concerning national character. This thesis seeks to
delineate these intellectual contexts that were both European and British, with
reference to Imperial and colonial contexts. The thesis comprises a close reading of parliamentary addresses by C. W. Richmond, J. E. FitzGerald and Henry
Sewell.
Description
Keywords
Native policy, History, New Zealand General Assembly, Discourse, C.W. Richmond, J.E. FitzGerald, Henry Sewell