The chosen few
In the mid-2020s, New Zealand had had 16 resident governors and 22 governors-general. Their role, duties and influence have changed dramatically over the years. So too have the selection process and the career path, background, gender and age of the people selected for the job.
Two early governors were called governor-in-chief. The first never set foot here. New Zealand joined the British Empire as a dependency of New South Wales, so Captain William Hobson started as lieutenant-governor to Lieutenant-Colonel Sir George Gipps (who, as governor of New South Wales, was also governor-in-chief of New Zealand until 1841). Between 1848 and 1853, when New Zealand was divided into New Ulster and New Munster, George Grey was governor-in chief of New Zealand. The role changed after New Zealand was granted self-government in 1856, but until the late 1960s all our governors-general were British, mainly minor aristocrats, admirals or generals.
