Charles H Mills
Encyclopedia
Charles Houghton Mills was a Member of Parliament
for Waimea
and Wairau, in the South Island
of New Zealand
.
. His father was Richard Mills, who arrived in Nelson in 1841 on the Lord Auckland. The family moved to Wellington
in the early 1850s, where his father was Governor of the gaol, and where Charles Mills was educated. He was a pupil teacher at Te Aroha
school. He went to sea for some years, and then worked in mining and farming. Later, Mills was a commission agent.
He settled in Havelock
in 1871 and married Margaret, a daughter of John Morrison, in the same year.
in the Waimea-Picton
electorate was contested by Arthur Seymour, Joseph Harkness
and Mills, who received 446, 444 and 415 votes, respectively. Seymour was thus elected.
The 1890 general election
in the Waimea-Picton electorate was contested by Mills, Richmond Hursthouse
and William Henry Phillips, who received 936, 728 and 80 votes, respectively. Mills was thus elected and represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1893. He then represented the successor electorates of Waimea Sounds
(1893–1896) and Wairau
(1896–1908) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
. The 1896 general election
was contested by the incumbent Thomas Buick
and Mills, who received 2014 and 2072 votes, respectively. Mills thus succeeded Buick in Wairau.
He was Minister
of Customs
between 1900 and 1906.
He was a member of the Provincial Council
and Marlborough County Council, and of the Legislative Council
between 1909 and 1916.
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 Waimea
Waimea Plains
The Waimea Plains is the name of two areas of land at opposite ends of the South Island of New Zealand.-Waimea Plains, Tasman:The northern area with this name is a small but fertile area of low-lying land south of the city of Nelson...
and Wairau, 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...
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...
.
Early life
He was born in NelsonNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. His father was Richard Mills, who arrived in Nelson in 1841 on the Lord Auckland. The family moved to Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in the early 1850s, where his father was Governor of the gaol, and where Charles Mills was educated. He was a pupil teacher at Te Aroha
Te Aroha
Te Aroha is a rural town in the Waikato region of New Zealand with a population of 3,768 . It is 53 km northeast of Hamilton and 50 km south of Thames. It sits at the foot of 952-metre Mount Te Aroha, the highest point in the Kaimai Range....
school. He went to sea for some years, and then worked in mining and farming. Later, Mills was a commission agent.
He settled in Havelock
Havelock, New Zealand
Havelock is a coastal village in the Marlborough region of New Zealand. It sits at the head of Pelorus Sound, one of the Marlborough Sounds. The population was 486 in the 2006 Census, an increase of 12 from 2001....
in 1871 and married Margaret, a daughter of John Morrison, in the same year.
Member of Parliament
The 1887 general electionNew Zealand general election, 1887
The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....
in the Waimea-Picton
Waimea-Picton
Wamea-Picton was a parliamentary electorate in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand, from 1887 to 1893.-History:The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament, Arthur Seymour from 1887 to 1890 and Charles H Mills from 1890 to 1893....
electorate was contested by Arthur Seymour, Joseph Harkness
Joseph Harkness
Joseph George Harkness JP was a 19th century independent conservative Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.Harkness, the son of William Harkness, was born and educated at Nelson, attending Richmond School and Nelson College . He became a school teacher for a time.Harkness dairy farmed in...
and Mills, who received 446, 444 and 415 votes, respectively. Seymour was thus elected.
The 1890 general election
New Zealand general election, 1890
The New Zealand general election of 1890 was one of New Zealand's most significant. It marked the beginning of party politics in New Zealand with the formation of the First Liberal government, which was to enact major welfare, labour and electoral reforms, including giving the vote to women.It was...
in the Waimea-Picton electorate was contested by Mills, Richmond Hursthouse
Richmond Hursthouse
Richmond Hursthouse was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand, and a cabinet minister.He represented the Motueka electorate from 1876 to 1887 when he was defeated....
and William Henry Phillips, who received 936, 728 and 80 votes, respectively. Mills was thus elected and represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1893. He then represented the successor electorates of Waimea Sounds
Waimea Sounds
Wamea Sounds was a parliamentary electorate in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand, from 1893 to 1896.-History:The electorate superseded the Waimea-Picton electorate. It was represented by one Member of Parliament, Charles Houghton Mills....
(1893–1896) and Wairau
Wairau (New Zealand electorate)
Wairau was a parliamentary electorate in the Marlborough Region of New Zealand, from 1853 to 1938.-History:Wairau was one of the original electorates for the first general election in 1853....
(1896–1908) 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....
. The 1896 general election
New Zealand general election, 1896
The New Zealand general election of 1896 was held on Wednesday, 4 December in the general electorates, and on Thursday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 13th session of the New Zealand Parliament...
was contested by the incumbent Thomas Buick
Thomas Buick
Thomas Lindsay Buick was a Liberal Member of Parliament for Wairau, New Zealand, a journalist and a historian. He published under the name T. Lindsay Buick.-Member of Parliament:...
and Mills, who received 2014 and 2072 votes, respectively. Mills thus succeeded Buick in Wairau.
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 Customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
between 1900 and 1906.
He was a member of the Provincial Council
Marlborough Province
The Marlborough Province operated as a province of New Zealand from 1859 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. The province of Marlborough split away from Nelson Province on 1 November 1859.-History:...
and Marlborough County Council, and of the Legislative Council
New Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
between 1909 and 1916.