The British government recalls Sir George Grey, who had again been appointed Governor in 1861, following the granting of a degree of self-governance to New Zealand, in February 1868.; he is replaced by Sir George Bowen.

His second term as Governor has been greatly different from the first, as he has had to deal with the demands of an elected parliament.

Grey had invaded the Waikato in 1863 to take control of the rich Māori agricultural region.

At this time, the Maori chiefs Te Kooti and Titokowaru have the colonial government and settlers extremely alarmed with a series of military successes.

The war had brought many British troops to New Zealand.

The British government had determined to withdraw Imperial troops from New Zealand ion the later 1860s, but Grey, supported by the Premier Edward Stafford, had evaded instructions from the Colonial Office to finalize the return of the regiments, which had commenced in 1865 and 1866.