Timeline to 1993

1840   

• Māori women signed the Treaty of Waitangi.

1865   

• Native Lands Act gave the Native Land Court authority to issue Crown Grants to individual Māori for specific pieces of land. Women were entitled to hold grants.

1867   

• The Māori Representation Act established four Māori seats in Parliament. Women were not eligible to stand or vote.

1876    

• Municipal Corporations Act did not bar Māori women from standing and voting in local body elections but a freehold property qualification meant that most were not eligible.

1877   

• Education Act established free and compulsory primary education for all children. Most Māori girls attended Native Schools.

1883   

• In this and the two following years Māori petitioned the British Government in London after a series of intertribal meetings at Waitangi over land grievances.

1885   

• The Women’s Christian Temperance Union was established to control the use of alcohol. Women began to see the vote as a means of resolving this problem.

1886   

• At the WCTU’s first annual convention a Māori Department was listed.

1892   

• June — Initial meeting of Te Kotahitanga at Waitangi.
• WCTU franchise petitions presented to Parliament with about 20 000 signatures, including a few Māori women.

1893   

• Women requested the right to vote and stand as members in Te Kotahitanga. They expressed a wish to make their own representations to the Crown over land grievances.
• Nga Komiti Wāhine established to pursue issues of importance to Māori women.
• Women’s franchise petitions presented to Parliament with about 30 000 signatures, including some Māori women.
• September— The Electoral Act gave all women the right to vote in general elections. Māori women with freehold property could choose between the European or Māori roll.
• September—A group of 45 Māori women petitioned Government under their own names over the Native Land Purchases Bill and others which they believed would adversely affect their lands.
• December – An estimated 4 000 Māori women voted for the first time for the four Māori electorates. A further number chose to vote on the general roll.

1894   

• Ellen Hewett of Wellington was appointed as Superintendent of the WCTU Māori Department.

1895   

• Meeting at Te Hauke where women resolved that no more land should be put through the Native Land Court.

1896   

• Te Puke ki Hikurangi was established with the assistance of Te Kotahitanga women members.

1897   

• Māori women achieved the right to stand and vote in Te Kotahitanga.

1919   

• Women’s Parliamentary Rights Act gave all women the right to stand as Members of Parliament.

1935   

• Rehutai Maihi became the first Māori woman to stand for Parliament.

1937   

• Secret ballot was introduced for Māori.

1947   

• Iriaka Ratana was elected in Western Māori and became the first Māori woman Member of Parliament.

1951   

• Māori Women’s Welfare League was established.

1967   

• Whetu Tirikatene Sullivan was elected as the Member of Parliament for Southern Māori.

1972   

• Whetu Tirikatene Sullivan became the first Māori woman cabinet minister when she was appointed Minister of Tourism.

1993   

• Sandra Lee became the first Māori woman to be elected to a general seat when she became the Member of Parliament for Auckland Central.

Back to TOP