Prime Minister of New Zealand. He also served as the eighth Governor of West Australia, the fourth Governor of Tasmania, and the fourteenth Governor of the Straits Settlements. While he was completing his schooling in England and studying in a Swiss university, he can little have imagined that his future life would be spent on the other side of the world in a variety of senior positions, but that is how his life panned out. After arriving in New Zealand he busied himself in acquiring and running sheep stations, but when the country set itself to elect its first Parliament in 1853, he put his name forward and found himself elected unopposed. He rose through the ranks and became a Cabinet minister in 1860 where he had to address the Land Wars as Native Minister. He took over as Prime Minister in November 1864, and while it lasted less than a year he still achieved things like moving the capital from Auckland to Wellington. When you do things though you can easily step on toes, and when the financial situation deteriorated his government fell. He returned to England as his health got worse, but when he recovered he headed south again, and there followed governorships in West Australia, Tasmania, and lastly in the Straits Settlements. He is remembered in each of his postings with his name attached to roads, rivers, and sundry other natural features.
Prime Minister of New Zealand. He also served as the eighth Governor of West Australia, the fourth Governor of Tasmania, and the fourteenth Governor of the Straits Settlements. While he was completing his schooling in England and studying in a Swiss university, he can little have imagined that his future life would be spent on the other side of the world in a variety of senior positions, but that is how his life panned out. After arriving in New Zealand he busied himself in acquiring and running sheep stations, but when the country set itself to elect its first Parliament in 1853, he put his name forward and found himself elected unopposed. He rose through the ranks and became a Cabinet minister in 1860 where he had to address the Land Wars as Native Minister. He took over as Prime Minister in November 1864, and while it lasted less than a year he still achieved things like moving the capital from Auckland to Wellington. When you do things though you can easily step on toes, and when the financial situation deteriorated his government fell. He returned to England as his health got worse, but when he recovered he headed south again, and there followed governorships in West Australia, Tasmania, and lastly in the Straits Settlements. He is remembered in each of his postings with his name attached to roads, rivers, and sundry other natural features.
Bio by: Tim Reynolds
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