First Provincial Council

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 December 1934, Page 17

First Provincial Council

Hon. James A. Bonar was elected Superintendent of the Province of Westland, on January 9, 1874. The following was the polling:—J. A. Bonar 534, M. Kennedy 383, John White 223, Conrad Hoos 50. For 15 members of the Council, the following were elected: —Hokitika: John White, F. C. Tabart and W. Todd. Kanieri: E. T. Robinson and S. Mitchell. Greymouth: H. H. Lahman, Chas. Woolcock, E. Wickes. Arahura: R. J. Seddon and M. Houlahan. Paroa: A. R. Guinness and P. Dungan. Ross: H. Cumming and John McGaffin. Okarito: Richard Canavan.

Mr. Bonar became in due course course a. life member of the Upper House, as did also Mr. H. H. Lahman, both of whom were Legislative Councillors for some years. Mr. Guiness became M.H.R. for Grey, and ultL mately was elected Speaker of Parliament, and for faithful service was knighted. Mr. Seddon was M.H.R. for both Kumara and Westland. He became a Minister of the Crown in 1891, and ultimately Premier, with a duration of office of record time. Of the other Provincial Councillors, John White was known as “Honest John” and was. in business in Hokitika over, the early years. Both F. C. Tabart and ’William Todd' were auctioneers at Hokitika. The former .was connected with the original firm of Mark Sprot and Coy., and ultimately

was auctioneering in Christchurch. Mr. Todd, whose business was in Wharf Street, was succeeded by F. A. Learmont, Mr. Todd moving to Invercargill. ’ ' /y Mr/ Charles Woolcock was a merchant, of Greymouth, and Mr. E. Wickes a well-known business man. Mr. E. T. Robinson, a brother of H. L. Robinson, became secretary of the Westland Education Board. Mr. S. Mitchell was in the mercantile business. Mr. M. Houlahan-was a brewer at Stafford before removing to Dunedin. Part of his premises at Stafford were used for several years as a Warden’s Court. Mr, P. Dungan moved to Kumara at the time of the rush, and was in - business .there. He became a prominent member of the Westland County Council, of which body he was Chairman at the, time of the Rimu rush, and obtained from the Government a £l,OOO grant for access tracks. Mr. H. Cumming wa.s storekeeping at Ross, drifting to Wellington, where die was befriended by . his former colleague, Mr. Seddon. Mr. John McGaffin was an enterprising hotel-keeper of Ross, being licensee of the leading hotel, which was a notable centre in the' busy town of those early days. Mr. Richard Canavan was a well-known business-man at Okarito, where, as at Ross, gold-mining was flourishing. ■