Donald McLean had a long career as government official, politician and
provincial superintendent. Fluent in Maori, he played a key role in
relations between the races in New Zealand.
Donald McLean was born on one of Scotland's Inner Hebrides islands in 1820. He arrived in New Zealand in 1840, and became fluent in the Maori language. In early 1844 he became a Protector of Aborigines in Taranaki, where he resolved disputes between Maori and settlers. He gained a deep knowledge of Maori culture and customs. When George Grey abolished the Aboriginal Protectorate Department in 1846, McLean was appointed a police inspector in Taranaki.
