James McPherson (New Zealand politician)

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1871 5th Waikato Independent
Capt. James McPherson

James McPherson (1831/1832 – 23 August 1905) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in the Waikato region of New Zealand.

McPherson was born into a Highland family in 1831 or 1832.[1] He arrived in New Zealand on the Calcutta in May 1861 as Ensign of the 70th Regiment with his wife and two children.[2] Later, he was paymaster in the Commissariat Transport Corps. In July 1864, he received his commission as captain and joined the 4th Waikato Regiment.

His country grant was in the present-day suburb of Hillcrest, Hamilton, and as well as farming the land he set up a flax-dressing mill.[3] He named his property 'Riverlea' and built a two storied house of Kauri timber in the mid 1870s.

He represented the Waikato electorate in 1871, from 10 February to 20 December, when he resigned.[4]

Six years later he was with the Waikato County Council (appointed clerk and treasurer) and remained there until his death on 22 August 1905.[5] He is buried in the Hamilton East Cemetery.[6]

  1. ^ "Obituary". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XXIX, no. 8226. 23 August 1905. p. 5. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ^ "Pars About People". The New Zealand Observer. Vol. XXV, no. 50. 26 August 1905. p. 1. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  3. ^ "Boats On The River". Kete Hamilton :Hamilton Heritage. Archived from the original on 13 October 2016.
  4. ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 217. OCLC 154283103.
  5. ^ "Death of a War Veteran". Auckland Star. Vol. XXXVI, no. 200. 22 August 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Hamilton East Cemetery one hour Heritage Walk" (PDF). www.hamilton.govt.nz. Retrieved 23 July 2016.