Charles McBeth Dawson (died 5 February 1956) was a New Zealand doctor who worked in Niue, Tonga and Western Samoa. He was involved in both world wars, and served as a member of Legislative Council of Samoa between 1938 and 1941.
Biography Dawson moved to Niue in 1913,Dr C.M. Dawson leaves islands after long years' service Pacific Islands Monthly, April 1949, p7 before becoming Chief Medical Officer in the New Zealand expeditionary force that occupied German Samoa at the start of World War I.New Samoan Councillors Pacific Islands Monthly. January 1939, p47 He then moved onto Palestine, where he served in the ANZAC Mounted Division and was mentioned in dispatches. At the end of the war he moved to Tonga, where he served as Chief Medical Officer for fourteen years. In 1933 he moved to Apia in Western Samoa, becoming the territory's only private doctor.Samoan Europeans Pacific Islands Monthly, November 1935, p32
Dawson contested the 1935 Legislative Council elections, finishing third out of the four candidates contesting the two seats.Samoa Legislative Council Pacific Islands Monthly, December 1935, p30 He ran for election again in 1938, and was elected to the Legislative Council after finishing in second place.Western Samoa New Zealand Herald, 21 December 1938 In 1940 he took a leave of absence from the council to join the Merchant Navy as a surgeon.Samoa affairs Auckland Star, 5 October 1940Post in Merchant Navy New Zealand Herald, 15 July 1940 He did not contest the 1941 elections.
In 1941 Dawson returned to Tonga after being appointed a Medical Officer in Vavaʻu.Popular medico returns to Tonga Pacific Islands Monthly, March 1941, p29 He retired from medical practice in 1949 and returned to New Zealand. He died in February 1956.Deaths of islands people Pacific Islands Monthly, February 1956, pp145–146
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