His father, Joseph Carroll, was born in Sydney of Irish descent, and his mother, Tapuke, was a Māori woman of the Ngāti Kahungunu iwi.

He was educated both at whare wananga (traditional Māori college) and the Wairoa native school but left early to be a farm worker.

[2] Entering parliament, Carroll wanted to create equality for Māori by allowing them to lease land and use the revenue to invest in their own farms.

He was appointed in March 1892 a member of the Executive Council representing the native race, and had to support the government in compulsory acquisition.

Te Kotahitanga Māori MPs criticised Carroll's stance, and he decided to stand for the General Electorate of Waiapu.

The settler view was that much of the North Island under Māori control should be developed, and Carroll as Native Minister to 1912 was under pressure to allow more land sales.

Twice in the Liberal Government, Carroll acted as Prime Minister, and his status was confirmed by the awarding in the 1911 Coronation Honours of the KCMG, becoming the first Maori to be knighted.