James Colvin (New Zealand)
Encyclopedia
James Colvin was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament
for Buller
, in the South Island
.
electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives
for twenty years from 1899
to his death in 1919. He was Minister
of Mines
in 1912.
At the 1899 election Colvin stood as an Independent
Liberal
and was successful.
Colvin was born in Donegal, Ireland
and came to New Zealand
in 1862. He served on numerous boards and committees: the Buller
County Council (1885–89), Westport
Harbour Board (Chairman 1890), and was Mayor
of Westport between 1898 and 1900.
James Colvin was killed by a tram as he left Parliament House in 1919 (Yesterdays in Golden Buller by Ella Matthews, 1999, Cadsonbury Publications, p. 203).
When he was a young man, Colvin was held up by a member of the Burgess-Sullivan gang (also known as the 'Maungatapu Murderers') near where George Dobson had been murdered a few days previously. Unknown to his interrogator James Colvin was carrying 2,000 pounds worth of gold on his saddle, and managed to pass unmolested (Matthews, p. 203).
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Buller
Buller
-People:* Sir Edward Buller, 1st Baronet * James Buller , British politician* Sir Francis Buller, 1st Baronet * Charles Buller , English politician* Walter Buller , New Zealand ornithologist...
, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
.
Member of Parliament
James Colvin represented the BullerBuller (New Zealand electorate)
Buller is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972.-History:Early members for Buller were:*Eugene O'Conor from 1871 to 1875 and again from 1884 to 1893 *Joseph Henry from 1876 to 1879...
electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
for twenty years from 1899
New Zealand general election, 1899
The New Zealand general election of 1899 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 14th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 373,744 voters turned out to...
to his death in 1919. He was Minister
Minister (government)
A minister is a politician who holds significant public office in a national or regional government. Senior ministers are members of the cabinet....
of Mines
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
in 1912.
At the 1899 election Colvin stood as an Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Liberal
Liberalism
Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...
and was successful.
Colvin was born in Donegal, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and came to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1862. He served on numerous boards and committees: the Buller
Buller
-People:* Sir Edward Buller, 1st Baronet * James Buller , British politician* Sir Francis Buller, 1st Baronet * Charles Buller , English politician* Walter Buller , New Zealand ornithologist...
County Council (1885–89), Westport
Westport, New Zealand
-Economy:Economic activity is based around fishing, coal mining and dairy farming. Historically, gold mining was a major industry, and coal mining was much more extensive than today . However, the region still is home to New Zealand's largest opencast mining operation in Stockton...
Harbour Board (Chairman 1890), and was Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Westport between 1898 and 1900.
James Colvin was killed by a tram as he left Parliament House in 1919 (Yesterdays in Golden Buller by Ella Matthews, 1999, Cadsonbury Publications, p. 203).
When he was a young man, Colvin was held up by a member of the Burgess-Sullivan gang (also known as the 'Maungatapu Murderers') near where George Dobson had been murdered a few days previously. Unknown to his interrogator James Colvin was carrying 2,000 pounds worth of gold on his saddle, and managed to pass unmolested (Matthews, p. 203).