The following is a complete list of members of the New Zealand Legislative Council. The Legislative Council was New Zealand's upper house and existed from 1853 until its abolition in 1950. Initially appointed for life, tenure was changed to seven-year terms in 1891 for new appointments. New Zealand had 330 members of the Legislative Council, five of whom were women. Twice during its existence, in 1885 and 1950, membership peaked at 53 councillors; on the second occasion due to the so-called suicide squad that the National Government appointed to ensure that members voted for the abolition of the Legislative Council.

Appointment and tenure

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 provided for councillors to be appointed for life terms by the governor. The first appointments were made by Governor George Grey in 1853, who chose from three broad groups: a 'prestige' group (e.g. wealthy runholders or nobility), a group with previous political experience, and a group of officials. Captain Bellairs, Major Lloyd, Dr Ralph Richardson, and Henry Petre belonged to the first group. The second group was made up of Henry Seymour (who had been a nominee of the Legislative Council of New Munster, which never met), whilst John Salmon and Frederick Whitaker represented the Legislative Council of New Ulster. William Swainson, Henry St. Hill, Mathew Richmond, and William Kenny were previous officials and represented the third group. John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker were the first three appointments (on 26 May 1853), and Mathew Richmond was appointed on 23 June 1853. The remaining appointments in 1853 were made on 31 December.

The quorum of the Legislative Council was fixed at five, and there was no initial upper limit of positions. Instructions received by the governor in 1855 contained an upper limit of 15 positions, which was increased to 20 in 1861, and removed altogether in 1862.

As the power of the governor over New Zealand politics gradually decreased, it became the convention that appointments were made on the recommendation of the premier (later prime minister), essentially meaning that councillors were selected by the government of the day. This change in practice happened during the 1860s and was certainly established by 1867. Tenure was changed by the Liberal Government to seven years; both political factions had campaigned in the for a reform of the Legislative Council. The outgoing Atkinson Ministry made six appointments to the Legislative Council in January 1891 (Harry Atkinson, James Fulton, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart, John Blair Whyte, and Charles Johnston), and these were the last life appointments.

The regulations were that members were disqualified when they had missed two sessions without absence having been granted. This applied mainly to the period from 1854 to 1891, when 17 members were disqualified. The rules were applied in a rather lax fashion, though, and in 1887 it was alleged that several members were technically disqualified, including the Attorney-General. The handling of the affair damaged the reputation of the Legislative Council.

The maximum size of the Legislative Council of 53 councillors was reached in 1885 and again in 1950. Over the years, the Legislative Council was stacked by the government of the day with members sympathetic to it, so that legislation could be passed more easily. The appointments by the second Stout–Vogel Ministry in 1884 and 1885 made the Legislative Council reach its maximum number on the first occasion. The so-called suicide squad appointed by the First National Government to ensure the abolition of the Legislative Council was the reason for achieving the maximum size on the second occasion. The Legislative Council was abolished in 1950 (memberships all terminated on 31 December 1950), with the Legislative Council Abolition Bill coming into force on 1 January 1951.

Captain Baillie served on the Legislative Council for 61 years and had the longest membership. The Legislative Council had a speaker, and from 1865 a chairman of committees; these roles were modelled on the equivalent functions in the New Zealand House of Representatives. There were 18 speakers and 13 chairmen of committees, respectively. William Swainson was the first speaker, whilst Mathew Richmond was the first chairmen of committees. Four New Zealand premiers or prime ministers were head of government while they a member of the Legislative Council. Two of those, Frederick Whitaker and Francis Bell, were at other times also members of parliament. The other two, George Waterhouse and Daniel Pollen, were not at other times also member of parliament; they only served on the Legislative Council.

The Statutes Amendment Act (1941) allowed for women to be appointed to the Legislative Council. The first two women, Mary Anderson and Mary Dreaver, were appointed in 1946 by the First Labour Government. Three more women were appointed in 1950 as part of the suicide squad: Agnes Weston, Cora Louisa Burrell, and Ethel Gould. Thus, of the 330 legislative councillors that were appointed over its 97 years of existence, only five were women, with three of them there to abolish the Legislative Council.

List of members __NOTOC__

Over the 97 years of its existence, 330 members served on the Legislative Council.

A

John Acland (8 July 1865 – 1 June 1899) John Aitken (14 July 1914 – 13 July 1921) John Alexander (22 June 1934 – 21 June 1941) Ewen Alison (7 May 1918 – 6 May 1925; 7 May 1925 – 6 May 1932) Andrew Allen (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950) James Allen (1 June 1927 – 31 May 1934) John Southgate Allen (27 July 1950 – 31 December 1950) Allen Alexander (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950) George James Anderson (22 June 1934 – 15 December 1935) Mary Anderson (31 January 1946 – 31 December 1950) John Anstey (22 January 1907 – 21 January 1914) John Archer (22 September 1937 – 21 September 1944; 22 September 1944 – 26 April 1949) Francis Arkwright (13 December 1895 – 12 December 1902; 13 December 1902 – 23 July 1906) George Arney (20 February 1858 – 13 June 1866) Harry Atkinson (22 January 1891 – 28 June 1892)

B

W. D. H. Baillie (8 March 1861 – 24 February 1922) Alfred Baldey (18 March 1903 – 17 March 1910; 18 March 1910 – 17 March 1917) John Barnicoat (14 May 1883 – 21 June 1902) John Barr (22 January 1907 – 21 January 1914; 22 January 1914 – 21 January 1921; 22 January 1921 – 21 January 1928; 22 January 1928 – 7 December 1930) Thomas Bartley (11 July 1854 – 3 July 1874) John Bathgate (15 May 1885 – 21 September 1886) William Beehan (22 June 1903 – 21 June 1910; 22 June 1910 – 21 June 1917) Cheviot Bell (27 July 1950 – 31 December 1950) Dillon Bell (26 May 1854 – 15 January 1856; 5 July 1877 – 7 December 1880) Francis Bell (10 July 1912 – 20 May 1919; 20 May 1919 – 20 May 1926; 21 May 1926 – 20 May 1933; 20 May 1933 – 13 March 1936) Edmund Bellairs (31 December 1853 – 17 June 1856) Thomas Otto Bishop (9 March 1943 – 8 March 1950; 15 March 1950 – 31 December 1950) Walter Black (8 September 1941 – 7 September 1948; 8 September 1948 – 31 December 1950) Charles Blakiston (8 October 1857 – 15 July 1862) Tom Bloodworth (22 June 1934 – 21 June 1941; 8 September 1941 – 7 September 1948; 8 September 1948 – 31 December 1950) William Bolt (15 October 1892 – 15 October 1899; 16 October 1899 – 15 October 1906; 16 October 1906 – 29 April 1907) James Bonar (27 June 1868 – 7 November 1901) Charles Bowen (16 December 1874 – 20 December 1874; 20 January 1891 – 12 December 1917) Alfred Brandon (5 June 1883 – 22 September 1886) De Renzie Brett (3 July 1871 – 16 June 1889) Mark Briggs (9 March 1936 – 8 March 1943; 9 March 1943 – 8 March 1950) Tom Brindle (9 March 1936 – 8 March 1943; 9 March 1943 – 8 March 1950) Andrew Buchanan (24 July 1862 – 30 June 1874) Walter Clarke Buchanan (23 June 1915 – 22 June 1922; 23 June 1922 – 19 July 1924) George Buckley (3 July 1871 – 19 August 1884; 28 October 1884 – 9 September 1885) Patrick Buckley (23 July 1878 – 20 December 1895) David Buddo (11 June 1930 – 10 June 1937) Archibald Burns (22 June 1934 – 21 June 1941) Cora Louisa Burrell (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950)

C

Alfred Cadman (21 December 1899 – 23 March 1905) John Callan (22 January 1907 – 21 January 1914) Archie Campbell (15 December 1939 – 14 December 1946; 15 January 1947 – 31 December 1950) Robert Campbell (13 May 1870 – 10 December 1889) James Palmer Campbell (2 September 1921 – 27 February 1926) Walter Carncross (18 March 1903 – 17 March 1910; 18 March 1910 – 17 March 1917; 17 March 1917 – 16 March 1924; 17 March 1924 – 16 March 1931; 17 March 1931 – 16 March 1938; 17 March 1938 – 30 June 1940) Carey Carrington (17 June 1926 – 16 June 1933; 17 June 1933 – 16 June 1940) James Carroll (2 September 1921 – 18 October 1926) Gilbert Carson (14 July 1914 – 13 July 1921) Henry Chamberlin (8 February 1869 – 12 April 1888) Alfred Rowland Chetham-Strode (8 July 1865 – 30 November 1867) Edward Henry Clark (25 June 1920 – 24 June 1927; 25 June 1927 – 10 September 1932) Allan Cockerell (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950) Mark Cohen (25 June 1920 – 24 June 1927; 25 June 1927 – 3 March 1928) William Collins (22 January 1907 – 21 January 1914; 14 July 1914 – 13 July 1921; 14 July 1921 – 13 July 1928; 14 July 1928 – 11 August 1934) Michael Connelly (9 March 1936 – 8 March 1943; 9 March 1943 – 8 March 1950) Arthur Cook (10 September 1942 – 4 March 1943) Henry Coote (8 July 1865 – 25 March 1867) James Cotter (9 March 1936 – 8 March 1943; 9 March 1943 – 30 April 1947) Coutts Crawford (15 August 1859 – 27 November 1867) James Craigie (1 June 1923 – 31 May 1930) Cyril Croker (27 July 1950 – 31 December 1950) James Cumming (23 June 1941 – 22 June 1948; 23 June 1948 – 31 December 1950) John Curling (1 June 1857 – 1 May 1861) George Cutfield (31 December 1853 – 18 March 1854; 16 February 1858 – 10 April 1867)

D

Eliot Davis (22 June 1934 – 21 June 1941; 8 September 1941 – 7 September 1948; 8 September 1948 – 31 December 1950) Harold Dickie (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950) Patrick Dignan (3 February 1879 – 20 October 1894) Alfred Domett (19 June 1866 – 3 July 1874) Thomas Francis Doyle (9 March 1936 – 8 March 1943; 9 March 1943 – 8 March 1950) Mary Dreaver (31 January 1946 – 31 December 1950) John Edward Duncan (22 September 1937 – 21 September 1944; 22 September 1944 – 31 December 1950) Thomas Young Duncan (13 June 1912 – 18 August 1914) John Duthie (26 June 1913 – 14 October 1915) Teddy Dye (9 March 1936 – 25 January 1942)

E William Earnshaw (26 June 1913 – 25 June 1920; 25 June 1920 – 24 June 1927; 25 June 1927 – 29 December 1931) Richard Eddy (23 June 1941 – 22 June 1948; 23 June 1948 – 31 December 1950) Nathaniel Edwards (9 July 1872 – 15 July 1880) Bill Endean (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950)

F

Mark Fagan (11 June 1930 – 10 June 1937; 11 June 1937 – 10 June 1944; 11 June 1944 – 31 December 1947) James Farmer (3 July 1871 – 29 July 1874) Henry Feldwick (15 October 1892 – 15 October 1899; 16 October 1899 – 15 October 1906; 16 October 1906 – 3 August 1908) Francis Dart Fenton (2 June 1869 – 30 December 1870) John Findlay (23 November 1906 – 20 November 1911) John Finlayson (22 June 1950 – 31 December 1950) John Fisher (14 July 1914 – 13 July 1921) William Fitzherbert (14 June 1879 – 7 February 1891) David Thomas Fleming (7 May 1918 – 6 May 1925; 7 May 1925 – 6 May 1932) Alfred Fraser (7 May 1918 – 24 February 1919) Francis Humphris Fraser (22 June 1899 – 21 June 1906) Thomas Fraser (13 May 1870 – 24 June 1891) William Fraser (27 November 1919 – 17 July 1923) James Fulton (22 January 1891 – 20 November 1891)

G

George Garland (7 May 1918 – 6 May 1925; 7 May 1925 – 6 May 1932) William Geddis (7 May 1918 – 6 May 1925; 7 May 1925 – 1 May 1926) Seymour Thorne George (22 June 1903 – 21 June 1910; 22 June 1910 – 21 June 1917) John Anderson Gilfillan (6 May 1854 – 2 August 1861; 12 July 1862 – 23 April 1866) Hamilton Gilmer (22 January 1907 – 21 January 1914