George Hutchison (New Zealand politician)

For the former Mayor of Auckland, see George Hutchison (mayor).

George Hutchison
File:George Hutchison, 1887.jpg
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waitotara
In office 26 September 1887 – 8 November 1893
Preceded by	John Bryce
Succeeded by	In abeyance
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Patea
In office 28 November 1893 – 29 June 1901
Preceded by	New electorate
Succeeded by	Frederick Haselden
Personal details
Born	1846 Dundee, Scotland
Died	30 July 1930 (aged 84) Saint Heliers, Auckland, New Zealand
Profession	Lawyer

George Hutchison (1846 – 30 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician from Taranaki.

Early life

Hutchison was born in Dundee, Scotland, in 1846. He was a son of William Hutchison, later a Wellington Mayor and Member of Parliament. Hutchison Jr received his education in Ireland and Scotland until age 15. He came to New Zealand with his parents in 1866. His father, a journalist, had been hired by The Southern Cross newspaper in Auckland.

Hutchison Jr studied law and from 1872, he practised in Wanganui and then Wellington. He married Agnes Hogg, the daughter of Rev. David Hogg, on 31 March 1874 at Wanganui.

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1887–1890	10th	Waitotara		Independent
1890–1893	11th	Waitotara		Independent
1893–1896	12th	Patea		Independent
1896–1899	13th	Patea		Independent
1899–1901	14th	Patea		Independent

His first attempt at entering the New Zealand House of Representatives was in April 1875, when he stood in the Rangitikei by-election. He performed poorly and of the three candidates, he came last with 11% of the vote. His father was successful in the City of Wellington electorate in the 1879 election. Hutchison Jr announced his candidacy in the 1881 election in the Waitotara electorate, but stood aside in favour of John Bryce; he instead stood in the Egmont electorate against Harry Atkinson but was unsuccessful. In the 1884 election, he stood in the Taranaki electorate.

He represented the Waitotara electorate from 1887, when he defeated Bryce, to 1893, and then Patea from 1893 to 1901, when he resigned to move to South Africa. He was an independent conservative MP, and a lawyer. He contested the 1893 election against William Cowern. When parliament opened in 1901, there were questions asked of the Speaker as to when he actually resigned, and it was intimated that he had actually resigned eight or nine months ago.

Later life

Hutchison went to South Africa during 1899 as a legal adviser for Lord Roberts during the Second Boer War. He returned to South Africa in 1901 and practised law for a few years. He came back to Taranaki in January 1906 and by 1908 had resumed his law practice in Wanganui. Hutchison stood in the Wanganui electorate in the 1908 election, but was defeated by James Thomas Hogan in the second ballot. He then spent two years in England before he returned to Auckland, where he lived for the remaining years of his life. He died on 30 July 1930 at the Auckland suburb of Saint Heliers.