13 Facts About John Bryce

John Bryce was a New Zealand politician from 1871 to 1891 and Minister of Native Affairs from 1879 to 1884.

John Bryce arrived in New Zealand as a child in 1840 and had little formal education.

When settlers were threatened by Maori led by Titokowaru in 1867, John Bryce volunteered and became a lieutenant in the Kai-iwi Yeomanry Cavalry Volunteers.

John Bryce was proud of his commission, but an incident at William Handley's woolshed in November 1868 clouded his military career.

The incident in which John Bryce was alleged to have taken part was reported as an attack on women and children in the "History of New Zealand" published in 1883 and led to a successful libel action against the publisher George William Rusden.

Ex-Governor Arthur Hamilton-Gordon supported publisher Rusden, but when the case went to trial, John Bryce won and was awarded damages as it was proved no women were present at Handley's woolshed, and John Bryce denied being directly involved.

In 1871, John Bryce was back in Parliament as MP for Wanganui to 1881, and then MP for Waitotara until 1887.

John Bryce expanded the powers of the Native Land Court to facilitate the sale of Maori land, reduced the scope of the Native Department, and enforced the law against any Maori resisting land confiscation and sales.

When John Bryce became Minister in 1879, two hundred Maori ploughmen were already imprisoned, and his introduction of the Confiscated Lands Inquiry and Maori Prisoners' Trials Act in 1879 allowed them to stay in prison awaiting trial for up to two years.

John Bryce became Native Minister, and on 5 November 1881, he was at Parihaka at the head of 1,600 Armed Constabulary to arrest the leaders and disperse the village.

When John Bryce heard of this, he resigned, and the Hall Government fell.

John Bryce was re-appointed Native Minister under Premiers Frederick Whitaker and Harry Atkinson from 1882 to 1884.

In 1889, John Bryce was re-elected in 1889, this time to Waipa, and then in 1890 to Waikato.