Editing New Zealand Defence Force (section)

===Militia (1845–1886)===
{{Main|New Zealand Wars}}

After the [[Treaty of Waitangi]] in 1840, New Zealand's security was dependent on [[British Army|British Imperial troops]] deployed from [[Australia]] and other parts of the empire. By 1841 the settlers, particularly those in the [[New Zealand Company]] settlement of [[Wellington]], were calling for local militia to be formed.<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Gazette and Wellington Spectator'', Vol 14 issue 70, 14 August 1841, p&nbsp;2</ref> In 1843 a local militia had been formed in Wellington without official sanction.<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Colonist and Port Nicholson Advisor'', Vol 1 issue 104, 28 July 1843, p&nbsp;2</ref> This prompted the Chief Police Magistrate Major Matthew Richmond to order its immediate disbandment. Richmond also dispatched 53 soldiers from the [[96th Regiment of Foot|96th Regiment]] from Auckland to Wellington.

These calls for a militia continued to grow with the [[Wairau Affray]], the start of the [[New Zealand Wars]]. The calls eventually led to a bill being introduced to the Legislative Council in 1844.<ref>Legislative Council, Daily Southern Cross, Vol 2 issue 76, 28 September 1844</ref> Those present noted their disapproval of the bill, unanimously deferring it for six months. On 22 March 1845 the [[Flagstaff War]] broke out, which proved to be the catalyst for passing the Bill.<ref>Bay of Islands, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Vol 2 issue 101, 22 March 1845, p&nbsp;2</ref>

In 1844 a [[Select committee (United Kingdom)|Select Committee]] of the [[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons]] had recommended that a militia, composed of both settlers and native [[Māori people|Maori]], and a permanent native force be set up.<ref>Mounted Police, ''New Zealander'', Volume 2, Issue 59, 18 July 1846, page&nbsp;2</ref>

On 25 March 1845, the Militia Ordinance was passed into law.<ref>Militia Ordinance, ''Daily Southern Cross'', Vol 2 issue 103, 5 April 1845, p&nbsp;2</ref> Twenty-six officers were appointed in Auckland, thereby forming the start of New Zealand's own defence force.<ref>''Daily Southern Cross'', 19 April 1845, Page 4, Government Gazette Notices.</ref> Major Richmond was appointed the commander of the Wellington Battalion of the militia.<ref>District Orders, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume I, Issue 34, 31 May 1845, Page 2</ref> The newspaper article of the time notes that Wellington had a mounted Volunteer Corp. The Nelson Battalion of Militia was formed 12 August 1845.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.theprow.org.nz/society/nelson-war-memorials/#.WmY24K6nGUk |title=Nelson's war memorials|website=www.theprow.org.nz |access-date=25 January 2018 }}</ref>

In June 1845, 75 members of the Auckland Militia under Lieutenant Figg became the first unit to support British Imperial troops in the Flagstaff War, serving as pioneers.<ref>Bay of Islands, ''New Zealander'', Volume 1, Issue 2, 14 June 1845, Page 3
</ref> Seven militia were wounded in action between 30 June and 1 July 1845. One, a man named Rily, later died of his wounds.<ref>Colonel Despard's Despatch, ''New Zealander'', Volume 1, Issue 7, 19 July 1845, Page 2</ref> The Auckland Militia was disbanded in August or early September 1845 because of budgetary constraints.<ref>Auckland, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume II, Issue 51, 27 September 1845, Page 3</ref> Disbandment of the Nelson and Wellington Militias followed much to the dismay of their supporters.<ref>Port Nicholson, ''Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle'', Volume IV, Issue 188, 11 October 1845, Page 127</ref> Those at Nelson under Captain Greenwood decided, regardless of pay or not, to continue training.<ref>Nelson Militia, ''Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle'', Volume IV, Issue 187, 4 October 1845, Page 122</ref>

Trouble in the Hutt Valley, near Wellington, in early March 1846 prompted the new Governor [[George Grey]] to proclaim [[martial law]] and call out the Hutt Militia, in what became known as the [[Hutt Valley campaign]].<ref>Editorial, ''New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian'', Volume II, Issue 74, 7 March 1846, Page 2</ref> Following on from this the local paper noted that the No 1 Company of the Wellington Militia had been called out, while the troops stationed in the town had been in the Hutt.<ref>Editorial, 'New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian', Volume II, Issue 75, 14 March 1846, Page 2
</ref> The paper further noted that Grey intended to maintain two companies of Militia in Wellington. As problems continued in the area at least 160 Militia remained.<ref>Port Nicholson,'New Zealander', Volume I, Issue 49, 9 May 1846, Page 3</ref> These were supplemented by volunteers and Māori warriors from the [[Te Aro#Te Aro Pā|Te Aro]] [[pā]].<ref>Port Nicholson, 'New Zealander', Volume 2, Issue 56, 27 June 1846, Page 3</ref>

On 28 October 1846, with the passing of the Armed Constabulary Ordinance in 1846, a fresh call was made by Mr Donnelly of the Legislature to do away with the Militia because of its expense.<ref>Legislative Council, 'New Zealander', Volume 2, Issue 74, 31 October 1846, Page 2</ref> The cost to Britain of maintaining a military force in New Zealand was considerable, prompting a dispatch on 24 November 1846 from The Right Hon [[Henry Grey, 3rd Earl Grey|Earl Grey]] to advise Lieutenant Governor George Grey that<ref>Military, 'New Zealander', Volume 3, Issue 119, 21 July 1847, Page 3</ref>{{blockquote|the formation of a well-organised Militia and of a force of Natives in the service of Her Majesty, would appear to be the measures most likely to be successfully adopted.}} Further pressure in the early 1850s from Britain for removing their forces prompted pleas for them to remain as the Militia were deemed insufficient for the purpose.<ref>Withdrawal of the troops, 'Daily Southern Cross', Volume VI, Issue 433, 22 August 1851, Page 2</ref>

1854 brought a new threat to the attention of the colony because up to that time the military focus had been upon internal conflicts between settlers and the Māori. [[Crimean War|War]] had broken out between [[Russia]] and [[Turkey]]. This war began to involve the major European powers and exposed New Zealand and [[Australia]] to a possible external threat from the [[Imperial Russian Navy]].<ref>Letters to the Editor. Our defences, 'Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle', Volume XIII, Issue 639, 3 June 1854, Page 5</ref> Parliament discussed providing guns at ports around the country for use in the event of a war with a foreign power.<ref>Proceedings of the General Assembly, ''Taranaki Herald'', Volume V, Issue 211, 16 August 1856, Page 2</ref>

By 1858 attention had swung back to local issues with a land dispute in [[New Plymouth]] prompting Governor [[Thomas Gore Browne]] to call out its militia under Captain Charles Brown.<ref>Proclamation, ''Taranaki Herald'', Volume VI, Issue 288, 6 February 1858, Page 3</ref> A prelude to what was to become the [[First Taranaki War]] and a period of conflict in the North Island until 1872.

The newly formed [[New Zealand Parliament]] revised and expanded the Militia Ordinance, replacing it with the Militia Act 1858.<ref>Arts of the General Assembly, ''Colonist'', Issue 84, 10 August 1858, Page 4</ref> Some of the main changes were clauses enabling volunteers to be included under such terms and conditions as the Governor may specify. The act also outlined the purposes under which Militia could be called upon, including invasion. Debates in Parliament had included expressions of concern about Russian naval expansion in the northern Pacific, pointed out that the sole naval defence consisted of one 24-gun frigate, and the time it would take for Britain to come to the colony's aid.

British Imperial troops remained in New Zealand until February 1870, during the later stage of the New Zealand Wars, by which time settler units had replaced them.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/B/BritishTroopsInNewZealand/BritishTroopsInNewZealand/en |title=BRITISH TROOPS IN NEW ZEALAND – Te Ara: The Encyclopedia of New Zealand |website=Teara.govt.nz |date=2009-04-22 |access-date=2015-06-24}}</ref>

The Defence Act 1886 reclassified the militia as volunteers. These were the forerunners of the Territorials.