Monarch Victoria Spouse(s) Mary George Resigned October 30, 1863 Political party None Succeeded by Frederick Whitaker | Preceded by William Fox Name Alfred Domett Governor George Grey Children one son; two stepsons | |
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Born 20 May 1811
Camberwell, Surrey, England ( 1811-05-20 ) Role Former Prime Minister of New Zealand Died November 2, 1887, London, United Kingdom Previous office Prime Minister of New Zealand (1862–1863) Books The Diary of Alfred Domett: 1872-1885 Education University of Cambridge, St John's College, Cambridge | ||
Alfred Domett, CMG (20 May 1811 – 2 November 1887) was an English colonial statesman and poet. He was New Zealand's fourth Premier.
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Early life
Domett was born at Camberwell Grove, Surrey; the fourth son of Nathaniel Domett, a ship-owner. He entered St John's College, Cambridge, but left the university in 1833. He entered at the Middle Temple, 7 November 1835, and was called to the bar on 19 November 1841.
Poetry
Domett published one or two volumes of poetry from 1833, and contributed several poems to Blackwood's Magazine, one of which, A Christmas Hymn, attracted attention. He was called to the bar, but for ten years he lived a life of ease in London, where he became the intimate friend of Robert Browning, of whose poem Waring he was the subject. An account of the friendship between the two men appeared in The Contemporary Review for January 1905, by W. H. Griffin.
Among his books of poetry, Ranolf and Amohia, a South Sea Day Dream (1872), about Māori life, is the best known, and Flotsam and Jetsam (1877) is dedicated to Browning.
Decadent poet Ernest Dowson was his great-nephew.
New Zealand politics
In 1842 Domett emigrated to New Zealand, where he filled many important administrative posts, being Colonial Secretary for New Munster Province in 1848, secretary for the colony in 1851, and the fourth Premier of New Zealand from 1862 to 1863. He represented the electorate of Nelson, first as the Town of Nelson 1855–1860 and then City of Nelson 1860–1866 (retired). Unusually, as electorates at this time returned multiple members, Domett shared representation of Nelson with Edward Stafford, who had also served as Premier.
The most noteworthy change Domett brought about during his tenure in office was the moving of New Zealand's capital from Auckland to Wellington in 1865. In November 1863 he moved a resolution before Parliament that "it has become necessary that the seat of government... should be transferred to some suitable locality in Cook Strait." He returned to England in 1871 and became a CMG in 1880.
Domett was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 19 June 1866 until 3 July 1874, when his membership lapsed through absence.