Joseph Ivess
Encyclopedia
Joseph Ivess was a member of the New Zealand House of Representatives
.
, County Limerick
, Ireland
in 1844. In 1852 he accompanied his parents to Melbourne
, Australia
, where he was educated at Barnett's Grammar School, Emerald Hill. His father, John Pope Ivess, was a police sergeant. In 1866, after his marriage to Sarah Ann Reddin, he worked on the staff of the Bendigo Independent. On his arrival in New Zealand in 1868 he began work as the manager, and perhaps printer, of the New Zealand Celt at Hokitika. He remained in and about the West Coast for the next eight years, but after 1875 his base became the Canterbury
region, and particularly Ashburton
. A photograph of Ivess with his family shows nine children.
He represented the electorate of Wakanui
, South Canterbury, in the House of Representatives on two occasions, 1882–1884 and 1885–1887, after that concentrating his activities in the North Island, especially in the Taranaki and Rangitikei
areas. He returned for some years to Ashburton around the turn of the century, and from 1903 based himself in the central North Island. He died on 5 September 1919 in Christchurch. A description of Ivess in late 1875 portrayed him as a fine plump man with a well-groomed appearance. He wore a moustache and a little bunch of hair on his under lip, as was customary in some professional men of those days. . . . Always an optimist, it was hard for others to compete with him, and he was certainly a tireless worker, obtaining considerable influence where he worked.
It is hardly surprising that an Irishman emigrating from Melbourne to New Zealand would land at Hokitika. The West Coast goldfields were at that time full of fellow countrymen and shipping routes made that coast a natural landfall. Ivess probably found employment rapidly as the manager of the New Zealand Celt, the Irish Catholic Party's newspaper whose proprietor John Manning was charged with seditious libel
for erecting a memorial to the Fenian martyrs of Manchester in the Hokitika Cemetery. It may have been in this heady political atmosphere that the seeds of Ivess's political ambitions were planted and nurtured. By 1870 Ivess had definitely established a printing business at Hokitika in partnership with George Tilbrook, as shown by advertisements in the first issue of the Tomahawk (5 March 1870) and subsequent issues. This heavily satirical weekly and its successor the Lantern must also have encouraged Ivess in his political aspirations, for they relied on criticism of local and national political events for their effect. Even at this early stage in his career Ivess demonstrated a propensity for attracting legal action, being named as a defendant in a libel action in the Tomahawk (16 and 30 April 1870). To be fair, Ivess was not alone among newspapermen in being sued frequently. Conservative libel laws were retained in New Zealand long after they had been redrafted in England
and resulted in frequent law-suits of which Ivess attracted his fair share.
Ivess died on 4 September 1919 in Christchurch
, New Zealand
and was buried at Linwood Cemetery
two days later.
The New Zealand people recently honoured the memory of Joseph Ivess by naming the tallest peak in the Victoria Ranges near Inangahua in the South Island "Ivess Peak"
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....
.
Biography
Joseph Ivess was born in AskeatonAskeaton
Askeaton is a town in County Limerick, Ireland. Located on the N69, the town is built on the banks of the River Deel some 3 km upstream from the estuary of the River Shannon. There is also a secondary school in Askeaton...
, County Limerick
County Limerick
It is thought that humans had established themselves in the Lough Gur area of the county as early as 3000 BC, while megalithic remains found at Duntryleague date back further to 3500 BC...
, 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...
in 1844. In 1852 he accompanied his parents to Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, where he was educated at Barnett's Grammar School, Emerald Hill. His father, John Pope Ivess, was a police sergeant. In 1866, after his marriage to Sarah Ann Reddin, he worked on the staff of the Bendigo Independent. On his arrival in New Zealand in 1868 he began work as the manager, and perhaps printer, of the New Zealand Celt at Hokitika. He remained in and about the West Coast for the next eight years, but after 1875 his base became the Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
region, and particularly Ashburton
Ashburton, New Zealand
Ashburton is a town and district in the Canterbury Region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the third-largest centre in Canterbury, after Christchurch and Timaru. The area around Ashburton is frequently referred to as Mid Canterbury, which is also the name of the...
. A photograph of Ivess with his family shows nine children.
He represented the electorate of Wakanui
Wakanui (New Zealand electorate)
Wakanui was a rural parliamentary electorate in the south Canterbury Region of New Zealand, from 1881 to 1887.-History:Wakanui was formed for the 1881 general election, i.e. for the 8th New Zealand Parliament. It existed for two parliamentary terms until 1887.The first elected representative was...
, South Canterbury, in the House of Representatives on two occasions, 1882–1884 and 1885–1887, after that concentrating his activities in the North Island, especially in the Taranaki and Rangitikei
Rangitikei
Rangitikei is an area in New Zealand that follows the course of State Highway 1, from just south of Waiouru with the QEII Army Memorial Museum, through Taihape, Mangaweka, Hunterville, Marton and Bulls, and then winds down a minor road to the coast at Turakina & Scott’s Ferry...
areas. He returned for some years to Ashburton around the turn of the century, and from 1903 based himself in the central North Island. He died on 5 September 1919 in Christchurch. A description of Ivess in late 1875 portrayed him as a fine plump man with a well-groomed appearance. He wore a moustache and a little bunch of hair on his under lip, as was customary in some professional men of those days. . . . Always an optimist, it was hard for others to compete with him, and he was certainly a tireless worker, obtaining considerable influence where he worked.
It is hardly surprising that an Irishman emigrating from Melbourne to New Zealand would land at Hokitika. The West Coast goldfields were at that time full of fellow countrymen and shipping routes made that coast a natural landfall. Ivess probably found employment rapidly as the manager of the New Zealand Celt, the Irish Catholic Party's newspaper whose proprietor John Manning was charged with seditious libel
Seditious libel
Seditious libel was a criminal offence under English common law. Sedition is the offence of speaking seditious words with seditious intent: if the statement is in writing or some other permanent form it is seditious libel...
for erecting a memorial to the Fenian martyrs of Manchester in the Hokitika Cemetery. It may have been in this heady political atmosphere that the seeds of Ivess's political ambitions were planted and nurtured. By 1870 Ivess had definitely established a printing business at Hokitika in partnership with George Tilbrook, as shown by advertisements in the first issue of the Tomahawk (5 March 1870) and subsequent issues. This heavily satirical weekly and its successor the Lantern must also have encouraged Ivess in his political aspirations, for they relied on criticism of local and national political events for their effect. Even at this early stage in his career Ivess demonstrated a propensity for attracting legal action, being named as a defendant in a libel action in the Tomahawk (16 and 30 April 1870). To be fair, Ivess was not alone among newspapermen in being sued frequently. Conservative libel laws were retained in New Zealand long after they had been redrafted in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and resulted in frequent law-suits of which Ivess attracted his fair share.
Ivess died on 4 September 1919 in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, 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...
and was buried at Linwood Cemetery
Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch
Linwood Cemetery is a cemetery located in Linwood, Christchurch, New Zealand. It is the fifth oldest cemetery in the city that still exists and it is virtually full. Opened in 1884, it has seen some 20,000 burials. The first burial, of the Sexton's wife, was held even before the cemetery was...
two days later.
The New Zealand people recently honoured the memory of Joseph Ivess by naming the tallest peak in the Victoria Ranges near Inangahua in the South Island "Ivess Peak"