WELD, FREDERICK ALOYSIUS (1823-91) was the third son of Humphrey Weld, of Chideock, and his wife, Maria Christina, daughter of Charles, Lord Clifford of Chudleigh, both being of old English Catholic families. The Welds held land in Dorset, Lancashire and Hampshire. The grandfather, Thomas Weld, high-minded, patriotic and generous, gave hospitality to many monks driven from France after the Revolution; founded convents and missions, established at his own cost Stonyhurst College; and received into his home (Lulworth Castle) the fugitive Charles X, whom young Frederick had seen as a boy in Versailles. Frederick was delicate from infancy, and his residence in Paris with his parents was mainly for health and education. He then went to Stonyhurst; enjoyed his poetry and English; became fond of games and of fishing. Then to Fribourg University (Switzerland) with many relatives-Vavasours, Cliffords and Welds, mainly for languages. He became proficient in French, Italian and German; but the principal influence of Fribourg upon him was the personal friendship of Father Freudenfeldt. This teacher of the philosophy of history had once been tutor in the royal household of Prussia and professor at Gottingen, and had fought at Ligny and Waterloo as aide-de-camp to General Blucher.

Weld left Fribourg in 1843, still anxious to enter the army, but unable to afford it. A nomination to the Austrian army he rejected; he was determined to remain under the British flag. His relatives Petre, Clifford and Vavasour had already gone to New Zealand; and Jerningham was recruiting emigrants in the west of England. In the end Weld bought an order from the New Zealand Company for 100 acres of country land and a town lot; and sailed by the Theresa in Nov 1843. Calling at Nelson, which was still despondent after the Wairau conflict, he landed in Wellington in Apr 1844. His cousins had entered into negotiations with Wairarapa chiefs for the use of pastoral areas, and he helped them get their Australian sheep round to Wharekaka, on the shores of Palliser Bay. There he remained for months shepherding the flock and growing the first crops of English vegetables. When hostilities broke out in the Hutt valley (1846) Weld volunteered as guide and interpreter to the force crossing the hills from the Hutt to Porirua. In this service he showed great courage and resource. Later he made a hazardous journey round the rocks to Wellington on behalf of the Wairarapa settlers to ascertain what steps the government proposed to take for their defence.

The unsuitable climate of the lower valley, the constant exposure and the impossibility of expansion prompted Weld to look for new pastures. Early in 1847 he began his explorations in the South Island. He found suitable country near Cape Campbell, and established his Flaxbourne station. There were no neighbours, white or native, within 40 miles, but Weld, an expert yachtsman, was now closer to Wellington than at Wharekaka. In Aug he and Clifford took down 2,000 sheep in partnership and another 500 on a share arrangement. Weld delighted in every stage of breaking in the country and building his home, planting English trees and even erecting a Roman Catholic chapel. He also became prominent in the politics of the colony, and complained of Grey's obstruction of the demand for self-government. The Governor offered Weld a seat in his Legislative Council at this date. This he declined in the belief that the Council, as then constituted, was a mere sop to prevent the full realisation of self-government, and Weld joined the newly formed Settlers' Constitutional Association.

In 1850-51 Weld spent some weeks (at the time of the arrival of the first four ships in Lyttelton) exploring on foot the approaches to Canterbury from the north, and examining the sites of Lyttelton and Christchurch. He had already discovered the fine country which he and Clifford took up late in 1850 as Stonyhurst. The shepherds whom Weld sent off to Stonyhurst with the first mob of sheep abandoned their charges owing to shortage of tucker. Early in 1852 Alfonso Clifford safely drove there 1,500 sheep, losing only one. Another of Weld's expeditions disclosed a pass through the Kaikoura mountains, giving access between Canterbury and the Wairau plain. Then he paid a visit to England. He divided his time between his old pastime of yachting, visiting relatives and collaborating with Sewell, Fox and Wakefield in the debates at Hams Hall which led up to the New Zealand constitution. He also published an interesting pamphlet Hints to Intending Sheepfarmers in New Zealand. It was during this visit to England that his father died (Jan 1852). Weld offered later to return to live with his mother, but she refused the filial sacrifice and spent her closing years as an oblate in a convent.

Weld reached New Zealand again in 1852. He was in time to see the new constitution proclaimed by Grey (17 Jan 1853) just before his departure from the Colony. In the first House of Representatives Weld himself was elected member for Wairau. When Parliament met (May 1854) Clifford was elected Speaker. Immediately an acute controversy arose over the opening prayer. Roman Catholic members were not alone in resisting any measure that might suggest the predominance of one religion, and since then prayers have always been said by the Speaker. Weld was a member of the first administration (with FitzGerald, Sewell and Bell), which resigned when it became apparent that the Administrator, Wynyard (q.v.) would not accept full responsible government. Parliament was prorogued, and in the recess instructions from the Colonial Office made it clear that the wishes of the colonists must be acceded to. Weld took the opportunity of this release to make extensive explorations. With the Hon James Stuart Wortley he travelled widely in the North Island. In Aug 1854, on hearing of the eruption in Hawaii, they chartered a sailing vessel, and made an adventurous examination of the volcano of Mauna Loa. The description which he wrote, for Sir Charles Lyell, was published in the journal of the Geological Society in London. Having resigned his seat in Parliament, Weld proceeded to England. He returned to New Zealand in 1857, and in Jun 1858 was again elected member for Wairau. Later that year he left for England, where in Mar 1859 he was married to Filumena, daughter of de Lisle Phillips, of Leicestershire (who was also connected with the Cliffords).

A serious illness prolonged his absence, and Weld did not reach New Zealand again until Jan 1860. The dark cloud of war now hung over the Colony. Weld's counsel was wanted. His opinions on the Maori war were clear cut. His principle of treating natives was always the same: "At all risks be just; at all risks be firm." Almost at the moment of his return to the Colony the tragic Waitara war broke out. A few months later Stafford invited his help as a member of the executive. With his experience of active service with the militia, Weld was mainly instrumental in the passing of the new militia act. Late in 1860 the portfolio of Native Affairs was entrusted to him, and Stafford relied upon his advice in the attempt to bring about peace at Waitara. The ministry went out of office in Jul 1861. For the next few years Weld was merely a private member (for the electorate of Cheviot), and he was free to live the life of a country gentleman and to look after the improvement of his estate. But his views on the war policy of the Government were always a factor in the political situation. He believed that the Colony would never see an end of its troubles until it accepted full responsibility for Maori as for pakeha affairs. The difficulties of the Waikato campaign strengthened this belief and when (late in 1864) Sir George Grey sent for him to form a ministry he laid down firmly the conditions upon which alone he could assume the task. They were, in short, real responsibility for native and European affairs; an amnesty to natives who had resisted the government; the confiscation of the lands of rebel tribes; and the immediate removal of the seat of government to Wellington.

Grey accepted the terms cordially, and Weld took office (Nov 1864) with Sewell, Fitzherbert Richardson and Atkinson as his colleagues. Mantell, FitzGerald and J. C. Richmond joined him later. Though in power for less than a year, the Weld ministry changed materially the face of New Zealand affairs and inspired the country with fresh confidence. Military posts were established between Wanganui and New Plymouth; the Waikato lands were confiscated; steps were taken towards the parliamentary representation of the Maori people; resolutions were passed terminating with the utmost goodwill the employment of British troops in the Colony, and thus putting an end to the unseemly friction that had existed between the Governor and the general officer commanding. The self-reliant policy was auspiciously inaugurated with a series of brilliant successes by the volunteers and militia on the West Coast. The opposition that gathered against the Government had to do with such subjects as Otago reserves and stamp duties. Weld suffered in health under the burden of office, and when the Government was defeated (Oct 1865) he gladly advised that Stafford be sent for. When he withdrew from Parliament (Jan 1866) Bell said of him: "He held, perhaps alone among the public of New Zealand, the place of a man whose word was never doubted, whose honour was never questioned, whose advice was always sought and whose counsel was never refused in cases of public difficulty." In May 1867 Weld left for England with health only slightly improved, and spent many months there resting. When Granville showed the confidence of the Colonial Office in his character by offering him (Mar 1869) the governorship of the colony of West Australia, he dared not accept the pressing invitations that were extended to him to return to New Zealand politics. With his family he sailed for Australia, reached his new jurisdiction at King George's Sound in Sep 1869, and rode or drove the 260 miles to the capital, Perth. Weld found West Australia in a very backward state. The development of communications had his first care. Week after week he spent in the saddle visiting the farthest settlements. He appointed a geologist, who assured him that there was some gold in the territory. He exercised a jealous watch over the treatment of the natives, and at one time was out of favour with the public for his persistence in prosecuting a prominent settler for the murder of a black. He strongly advocated complete equality for all denominations in educational matters. Finally he promoted the movement for representative and responsible government, feeling confident that when he had persuaded his council (by a single vote) to accept one instalment (1870) they must go forward and not backward. Again he incurred unpopularity for financing from public funds the expedition of John Forrest (afterwards Sir John) to explore the means of land communication with South Australia.

Early in 1874 Weld visited New Zealand to arrange partnership matters with Clifford. He then accepted the governorship of Tasmania, which he entered upon in very stormy political times (1875). War clouds in Europe were ominous, and Weld devoted his whole energy to fostering the volunteer movement in the colony. He formed the rifle association, and had the satisfaction of seeing the volunteers increase threefold. Imperial federation also he put forward more than tentatively as a political project, but it was not very warmly taken up. On leaving West Australia Weld received the honour of C.M.G., and the end of his term in Tasmania was marked by a full knighthood in the same order (1880). The Colonial Office now offered him a post of quite a new type, the governorship of the Straits Settlements. Here again his sympathy with native races was a factor of great weight in his administration. He devoted himself mainly to improving relations with the various native states, and before his term expired he carried through a treaty with the Sultan of Pahang which led up naturally to a protectorate. In 1887 he went to Borneo as a commissioner to report on the claims of certain native chiefs against the British North Borneo Company.

While in England in 1885 he was again advanced in his order, being invested with the G.C.M.G. by Her Majesty. In 1887, his term being up, he went on pension and lived at Chideock. He became a member of the county council, a magistrate and president of the Bridport Conservative Club. In 1890, with two sons, he made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. As a director of the Pahang Exploration and Development Co., he visited the Straits Settlements once more. There he contracted a severe illness, from which he died (20 Jul 1891) shortly after reaching England. Like his mother, his widow became an oblate of the Order of St Benedict in the convent at Fort Augusta, of which her daughter was prioress. She died on 9 Apr 1903.

Weld stands out in the public life of New Zealand as a chevalier sans peur et sans reproche. In his Passages in a Wandering Life Thomas Arnold, who saw him in 1848, says: "Frederick Weld, with his clear blue eyes, curly light brown hair, lithe well-knit figure, and honest, resolute expression of face, was a fine sample of the best type of Catholic aristocrat." Gisborne found him a man of ability, culture and fine feeling, whose straightforwardness inspired confidence; thoroughly genuine, with an attractive manner which was frank and outspoken almost to a fault. "He was the soul of honour and he had a chivalrous sense of duty." His political opinions were moderate and his administrative ability was considerable. All that could ever be said against him was that he was wanting in tact. He was inclined to go too straight for political goals which he considered desirable. Weld was a devout Catholic, his services to his church were numerous and consistent, and the Pope made him a knight of the Order of St Pius.

Canterbury Gaz, ji, p. 53; N.Z.P.D., 1854-66; Lovat; Buick, Marlborough; Bidwill; Cox; Rusden; Gisborne; Saunders; Reeves; Arnold; Godley, Letters; The Times, 21 Jul 1891; Evening Post, 11 Aug 1934.

Reference: Volume 2, page 242

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