1875: Premier Daniel Pollen
July 5, 2024
By AHNZ
Today in history, 6 July, 1875, Daniel Pollen became the 9th Premier of New Zealand.
Pollen had been in New Zealand a long time having arrived in the country slightly ahead of the Hobson Gang and so be one of the settlers to welcome them and observe the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840.
A doctor, Pollen was appointed coroner of the Crown Colony during the Governorship of Robert FitzRoy. When Governor Grey (finally) let the The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 be effected Pollen was there too. He became CEO of Auckland Province (ie chief clerk to the Superintendent.)
His career more or less consisted of hopping between holding office or being a public servant depending on the expediency of whatever jobs needed doing. He was General Government Agent several times and appointed/reappointed to the Legislative Council 4 times. He served in several ministries without ever having to be elected to a seat at any time.
According to Bohan (1994) Pollen was “genially urbane and level-headed,” loyal, efficient, and one of the few men at the top with a sense of humor. Morrell (1964) notes that when the capital shifted to Wellington in early 1865 “Pollen, as General Government Agent, was the only connection between the Government and its former seat.” That made him Mr Auckland and very powerful.
Not until 1875 did this powerful man become a public figure per se when he stepped up to be the face of the Vogel Gang (aka The Continuous Ministry.)
According to Gavin McLean (2004) Harry Atkinson (Treasurer) really ran things during the Pollen Premiership (6 Jul 1875–15 Feb 1876.) The usual front man, Julius Vogel, was offshore and most probably organising more crippling debt for our ancestors which would be the cause of the Long Depression. Atkinson would have his turn as Premier later but for now there was something about his standing that made too many ripples. Pollen was a better talker and people-mover so became the 8-month head of government.
Dr Pollen was known for his sarcasm and for facilitating the official opening of the Coromandel gold fields. There are 5 Pollen Streets in New Zealand and all or most will have been named for this old West Auckland pioneer brick maker capitalist.
Pollen Island is also named after him, the island along the SH16 Causeway to West Auckland.
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Image ref. Evening Post (1939,) National Library of New Zealand. AHNZ (2024)
Ref. Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, McLintock (1966)
Ref. Edward Stafford New Zealand’s First Statesman, Bohan (1994)
The Provincial System in New Zealand, W P Morrell (1964)
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