SIR F. WHITAKER.

Otago Witness, Issue 2181, 19 December 1895, Page 11

SIR F. WHITAKER.

fIR FREDERICK WHITAKER "was born at Bampton, Oxfordshire, April 23, 181 2, and was trained to the legal profession. In 1839 he left England for Sydney, where he had relations. The attractions and possibilities of the young colony of New Zealand induced him to pj

try his fortune there, and he accordingly in 1840 left Sydney for Kororareka, the seat of Captain Hobson's Government, and thence to Auckland when the first seat of Captain Ilobson's Government was changed. He was thus amongst the earliest settlers, and in 184:4 was appointed county judge, a post similar to that of our present district judges. He was elected by Governor Fitzroy, and afterwards by Governor Grey, to a seat in the Legislative Council of 1845 and 1846. From this date onward he filled various important official positions — member of the Provincial Council, then Speaker of the Legislative Council, which he resigned in 1856 to take the office of Attorney-General in Mr. Sewell's Government. In 1863, and again in 1882, he held the high position of Premier of the Colony. In 1865 he was elected Superintendent of Auckland. Soon afterwards he retired from public office, and devoted himself to the more lucrative practice of his profession and to the supervision of trading ventures in which he was concerned. He greatly assisted in the development of the Thames goldfields, which at the time were exciting great attention. His old predilection for a political life, however, again returned, and in 1876 he was elected member for Waikato, and held office as AttorneyGeneral in Major Atkinson's administration. He held this post again, together with the conduct of the Government business in the Upper House under Sir Harry Atkinson's Government, from 1887 to 1890. He was knighted in 1884. His death took place from paralysis on December 4, 1891, at Auckland. Few men have exercised more influence in public affairs than Sir Frederick Whitaker. This was due rather to his untiring power of work and his keen interest in whatever he undertook rather than to any brilliance in debate or great personal influence.