Kōrero: Hawke’s Bay region

Hawke’s Bay was initially part of Wellington province. As this newspaper clipping from 1857 describes, settlers became discontented because they believed little money was spent in the region relative to the revenue the Wellington Provincial Council collected from local land sales, and customs and export duties. Hawke’s Bay had only two members on the council (out of 30) and felt little connection to far-flung Wellington. Settlers lobbied for a province of their own, which was created in 1858.