McLEAN, SIR DONALD (1820-77) was born at Kilmaluaig, Tyree, Argyllshire, the son of John McLean and his wife Margaret, daughter of the Rev D. McColl. His father having died when he was a child, Donald received a sound Scots education in the parish under the care of his mother's people. In 1838 he sailed from Oban in the St George for Sydney, to the care of an uncle. He entered a merchant's office, but soon left and worked on a station near Bathurst.

Early in 1840 he came to New Zealand as agent for the timber firm of Abercrombie and Co., to wind up some business. That done, he was some time engaged as a labourer splitting logs on the beach at Waiheke and Coromandel; as a seaman on a small coaster, and in charge of a schooner running stores up the Thames river. In this occupation he mixed much with the natives, learned their language and became imbued with a deep sympathy for people whose tribal organisation resembled so closely that of the Scottish Highlands. His steady energy and knowledge of the Maori character struck A. Sinclair (q.v.), who brought him to the notice of Captain Hobson, and he became a clerk in the office of the protector of aborigines, and subsequently also interpreter. In 1844 he was appointed protector for the western district (Mokau to Wanganui, including Taupo), with a salary of £400 a year as crown lands commissioner.

McLean had considerable success in his dealings with native chiefs, and was soon regarded with official confidence as a man who could soothe their susceptibilities and treat them with a proper degree of consideration and firmness. After Commissioner Spain had made his award in the New Zealand Company's favour for 60,000 acres of land in Taranaki, McLean was ordered to inspect the territory and consult with the natives. He travelled southward in company with Whiteley from Kawhia and made a full report. FitzRoy decided not to confirm the award, and so the matter rested. Soon after the arrival of Sir George Grey as Governor the protectorate was abolished, and McLean was appointed police magistrate at Taranaki, with a small but efficient force of police with which he succeeded admirably in maintaining order at native gatherings and in all settlements where natives congregated (1846). In Mar 1847 he was instructed to inspect the land which had been awarded to the Government in north Taranaki and to acquire the area necessary for settlement purposes. He was entrusted with the responsibility of altering the Company's survey lines where he thought fit, and a few weeks later was authorised to purchase the Grey block. Correspondence in 1849 shows that he had purchased land at Fitzroy, Tataraimaka, Omata, Grey and Puketapu, but not without meeting with much sporadic opposition.

In 1850 McLean was appointed a native land purchase commissioner and resident magistrate, and in the following year a commissioner under the land claims ordinance. In 1853, with the approval of Grey, he organised a native land-purchase department, with himself as chief commissioner and a purchasing officer in each district. He made a large purchase of land in Auckland province in 1854, and arranged for the purchase of more than 12,000 acres adjacent to the settlements in Taranaki. He remarked, nevertheless, a growing opposition by the natives to the sale of any land at all 'in fear that they should thereby lose their distinctive national character and standing and be reduced to a state of slavery and indigence.' To meet this, and in preference to setting aside reserves which would pick the eyes out of the block, he agreed that natives should be allowed to purchase back from the Government a certain amount of the land bought. He proposed that they should be encouraged to take an interest in the institutions of the country, to qualify to take part in them, and gradually to introduce a new mode of life. The experiment was rather disappointing, but McLean's mana with the natives steadily increased, and during the excitement after the death of Rawiri Waiaua he succeeded, with the help of Whiteley and Turton, in preventing an open breach of the peace. In 1855, owing to the disturbed state of the province, McLean advised the building of blockhouses and the calling out of the militia. On 4 Nov 1856 he was chosen as land purchase officer and native secretary. The Governor (Gore Browne) was still to exercise full responsibility for native affairs, with the final decision on any action to be taken, but the opinion of a responsible minister had to be registered with that of the Native Secretary.

McLean had the required physical and moral qualities for the post, a commanding presence and dignity of behaviour, an excellent knowledge of the Maori language and customs, and a genuine sympathy for the race. To them he always appeared as one who shielded them from the evil intentions of the Colonial Government.

He accompanied Gore-Browne on his visit to Taranaki when he agreed to purchase Teira's land at Waitara. Unfortunately ill-health kept him away from the province during succeeding months, and historians are not disposed to hold him responsible for the outbreak of the Taranaki war. He was again in Taranaki when the truce was concluded with Hapurona (Mar 1861), the Native Minister (Weld) being also present.

By an unfortunate clash of policy between the Governor and the Government, Fenton was appointed to introduce certain reforms in the Waikato, independent of the authority of the Native Secretary. It was an impossible position where two men of strong personality were concerned, though both were sincerely anxious for the welfare of the Maori. It was equally unfortunate that the two departments of Native Affairs and Land Purchase should be combined in McLean's person, thus giving to the pronative faction in the country, and to many of the natives themselves, the impression that the acquisition of land was the real object of the Government. In May 1861 McLean resigned the native secretaryship owing to the attitude of the Government in respect to Fenton's appointment.

About this time he purchased the Maraekakaho property, and in 1863 he settled down in Hawkes Bay and began to take part in the affairs of the new province. Elected to the Provincial Council for Napier, he at once became Superintendent (26 Feb 1863), and held that position unchallenged until the affairs of the Colony demanded his full attention. In his dealings with his fellow settlers he showed the same inexhaustible patience and penetration which he exhibited in native affairs. He sat in with his Council, stood for re-election on being chosen as Superintendent, and on the whole managed provincial affairs in Hawkes Bay with more smoothness and decorum than obtained in any other province. He resigned the emoluments of the land purchase officer in 1863, but retained the appointment nominally until the office was abolished (1865). Grey in Jun 1863 appointed McLean as his deputy to call out the militia. They were summoned for training without delay and in the next few years were several times on active service. During most of the sixties McLean acted as the agent of the General Government, a position in which he wielded great authority during the Hauhau rising and the campaign on the east coast. Meanwhile, in 1866 he had been elected to Parliament for Napier. His mana with both races was very high and he was listened to with great deference in the native debates which dominated Parliament in the sixties. He was an outspoken critic of government policy towards the Maori and in 1868, when fighting was going on in several provinces, he relinquished the post of Government Agent and joined Fox in opposition to the war policy of Stafford. Their motion expressing alarm at the course of events was lost on the casting vote of the Speaker. In 1869 Fox moved a direct want-of-confidence motion, which McLean seconded, and the Government was defeated by a majority of 1. Stafford, who had wished McLean to take office under him when he resigned the Native secretaryship, now resigned (28 Jun) and Fox became Premier, with McLean as Native Secretary and Defence Minister. Te Kooti having already been defeated south of Taupo, the new Government was able with a good prospect of success to withdraw the expeditions from the field and adopt a policy of pacification by the active prosecution of roads and bridges, coach services from Wanganui to New Plymouth and the opening up of native lands. On taking office with Fox, McLean resigned the superintendency of Hawkes Bay (1869), and at the subsequent dissolution he withdrew from the Provincial Council (1871). He was Minister of Native Affairs for the rest of his life, holding office continuously under Fox, Waterhouse, Pollen, Vogel and Atkinson, and only resigning (on 7 Dec 1876) when his health made it impossible to carry on longer. He carried several important measures affecting the Maori and their lands, and lived to see land again being offered for sale. He made his peace with the King natives in 1875 and met Wi Kingi te Rangitake in amity at New Plymouth. He died on 5 Jan 1877.

McLean was created K.C.M.G. in 1874. He married (1851) Susan Douglas (d. Nov 1852), daughter of R. R. Strang (Wellington). (See R. D. D. MACLEAN, R. HART, R. R. STRANG) Gisborne, Saunders and Reeves agree on the great services rendered to New Zealand by McLean's native policy.

G.B.O.P., 1847/892; App. H.R., pass.; N.Z. Gaz.; Wellington P.C. Proc., 1856, 1867, 1870-71; Hawkes Bay P.C. Proc. and Gaz.; Taranaki P.C. Proc., 2 Oct 1; Taranaki Gaz., 7 Mar 1855; Sinclair Papers; N.Z. Archives, H.B. and D, pass.; Wellington Almanac, 1878; Crawford; Ward; D.N.B.; Mennell; J. G. Wilson; Grace; Rusden; Gisborne; Reeves; Cox; Saunders; Bowen, i; Seffern; Wells; Gorst; Cycl. N.Z., i (p), vi; Cowan; Waka Maori, 9 Jan 1877; Hawkes Bay Herald, 5, 19 Dec 1876; Evening Post, 6 Jan 1877; N.Z. Times, 11 Jan 1877; Southern Cross, 6 Jan 1877; Lyttelton Times, 20 Mar 1861. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 20

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