John McLachlan
Encyclopedia
John McLachlan was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament
for Ashburton, in the South Island
.
for twelve years (1893–96; 1899–1908) (Hamer, p. 364).
Born in Scotland
, McLachlan came to New Zealand
in 1863. He was a farmer
near Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora. (Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Canterbury Vol.3, 1903, pp. 815–6) and colourful character in the New Zealand Parliament (Hamer, p. 197).
"The representative of Ashburton", wrote a newspaper reporter, "is about the wildest looking specimen in the Parliamentary collection. But if he is in the rough to gaze on, he can give 'points' to some more ornamental members in the matter of ability and originality of thought and expression. He is a sturdily built, carelessly dressed man, with a large head, made to look larger by the wild disorder of a huge shock of curly hair. He is a farmer and might have stepped out of his market trap into his place in the House. He is, as a rule, a breezy, happy-go-lucky sort of member with a good sense of humour and a fine stock of anecdotes and a great admiration for and acquaintance with the writings of Robert Burns" (Ashburton Guardian, 12 September 1903).
He was a leading Canterbury Presbyterian, and was known for his love of whisky. On occasions he spoke on the platform or in the house while intoxicated and made a fool of himself, and in 1894 he fell into Wellington Harbour when he mistook the lights of a ship for the lights outside a chemist’s shop where he had lodgings.
Alexander McLachlan, a son of John, was a farmer and mill owner and Labour candidate for Mataura
at the 1919 election (Gustafson, p. 161).
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 Ashburton, 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
John McLachlan represented the Ashburton electorate in the New Zealand House of RepresentativesNew 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 twelve years (1893–96; 1899–1908) (Hamer, p. 364).
Born in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, McLachlan 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 1863. He was a farmer
Farmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
near Lake Ellesmere / Te Waihora. (Cyclopedia of New Zealand, Canterbury Vol.3, 1903, pp. 815–6) and colourful character in the New Zealand Parliament (Hamer, p. 197).
"The representative of Ashburton", wrote a newspaper reporter, "is about the wildest looking specimen in the Parliamentary collection. But if he is in the rough to gaze on, he can give 'points' to some more ornamental members in the matter of ability and originality of thought and expression. He is a sturdily built, carelessly dressed man, with a large head, made to look larger by the wild disorder of a huge shock of curly hair. He is a farmer and might have stepped out of his market trap into his place in the House. He is, as a rule, a breezy, happy-go-lucky sort of member with a good sense of humour and a fine stock of anecdotes and a great admiration for and acquaintance with the writings of Robert Burns" (Ashburton Guardian, 12 September 1903).
He was a leading Canterbury Presbyterian, and was known for his love of whisky. On occasions he spoke on the platform or in the house while intoxicated and made a fool of himself, and in 1894 he fell into Wellington Harbour when he mistook the lights of a ship for the lights outside a chemist’s shop where he had lodgings.
Alexander McLachlan, a son of John, was a farmer and mill owner and Labour candidate for Mataura
Mataura (New Zealand electorate)
Mataura was a parliamentary electorate in the Southland Region of New Zealand, from 1866 to 1946.-History:Mataura was first established for the 1866 general election...
at the 1919 election (Gustafson, p. 161).