Australia's logistical and commissariat support in the New Zealand wars, 1863-66.

The year 1863 marks the high-water mark in Australian military involvement across the Tasman. The events of 1863, though less so in 1864 (particularly when looking at reactions to the second military settler recruiting mission), were supported by majority public sentiment in Australia, as well as by both the colonial and imperial authorities. The co-operation New Zealand received from Australia's imperial military, and civil representatives, enabled the scale and success of the campaigns that took place during 1863-64. This willingness, though again sometimes grudging and with an eye to colonial self interest evident during the Taranaki War (1860-61), saw Australian colonial governments once more interact with the imperial authorities and New Zealand government, ensuring a diverse array of military, commissariat and logistical support. Governor George Grey in a speech at the opening of the New Zealand Parliament on 19 October 1863 elaborated on his colony's request for military aid and the reaction of the Australian colonies. "The neighbouring colonies, to which I applied for such military aid ... have rendered every assistance in their power; and my thanks are in a special manner due to the Governor of Tasmania for the great promptitude with which every available soldier was despatched ... to this colony." (2) Such sentiments though only just begin to touch upon the true size and significance of Australia's involvement in New Zealand during 1863-66. It was during these years that the greatest volume of manpower and war materials and supplies were derived from Australia, and all this input allowed the enormous imperial and colonial war machine amassed by Governor Grey to attempt to conquer the North Island regions of the Waikato and Taranaki. This article therefore seeks to draw attention to this diverse array of logistical and commissariat aspects of these wars for which the Australian colonies played such a highly significant role.

The Australian contribution

During 1863-64, the Australian colonies again showed their geographical and practical importance by being able to supply quantities of arms, ammunitions, and a vast array of commissariat and logistical material to satisfy New Zealand's war needs. This was vital in the early stages of the developing conflict when taking into account the distance and time involved in seeking sources of manpower and military paraphernalia from Britain or other far flung points in the empire. While all these military preparations were taking place, the war also created a demand for a range of imports such as oats and "breadstuffs" to the benefit of Australian commercial activities and shipping. (3) In December 1863 the Launceston Examiner provided some explanation from New Zealand for these initial commercial fortunes:

 
   A great proportion of the shipping has brought down the provisions 
   and supplies which the native war has rendered necessary: for whilst 
   our population is increased by continual arrivals, our supplies of 
   grain and produce from the native districts have almost ceased since 
   the commencement of the war, and many of the European settlers have 
   been prevented from tilling their lands, as well as by the inroads 
   of the natives, as by the necessary demands upon them for military 
   service. Instead of exporting ... considerable quantities of grain, 
   flour, and potatoes, we are [now] importing them largely ... (4) 

The enormous scale of the military operations resulted in an ever-increasing demand for imported foodstuffs into 1864. Tasmanian newspapers in March 1864 pointed out that there was currently a very large demand for grain in Auckland by the New Zealand Commissariat, noting this department's current consumption at 25,000 bushels per month, and with respect to oats, consumption was exceeding one million pounds per month. (5) The Australian colonies were therefore in the fortunate geographic and economic position to benefit from the vast commercial demands of New Zealand's wars. This diverse and conveniently located Australian support also allowed the war effort to proceed at a faster pace--something not possible if New Zealand had solely relied on Britain or other outposts of empire.

During this process of rapid militarisation in 1863 the New Zealand government was to find itself deficient in a whole range of military materials such as uniforms, equipment, tentage, weaponry, accoutrements and ammunitions. Australia became the convenient locale from which to obtain the requisite military materials to supply its expanding war machine. (6) Britain did of course become an important arsenal from which New Zealand received military logistical and manpower assistance, so integral to the large-scale military campaigns of 1863-64 and the associated influx of imperial military force. (7) Yet as occurred during the Taranaki War, Australia was vital in the overall expansion of military capability. This was especially evident in the initial stages of campaigning, when aid and support from England and elsewhere was often many months away and the proximity and promptitude of Australian support became so vital to New Zealand's immediate and short-term military requirements.

Tasmanian support