William Sefton Moorhouse
Encyclopedia
William Sefton Moorhouse (18 December 1825 – 15 September 1881) was a New Zealand
politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province
.
, England
, and trained as a lawyer. After working for a time in London
, he moved to Lyttelton
, New Zealand, with his two brothers in 1851. Soon afterwards, he moved to Wellington
, where he resumed his law practice. After marrying in 1853, he briefly moved to Australia
, but subsequently returned to Lyttelton. Later he moved to Christchurch
, where he acted as a lawyer, magistrate, newspaper editor, and ship owner.
.
, and remained an MP until his death. In his parliamentary career, he represented the Akaroa, Heathcote
(a notice of election was gazetted on 12 July 1862, and the member sworn in on 14 July), Westland
, Westland Boroughs
, Christchurch
and Ashley (elected 1879) electorates. In the 1866 election, he had won both the Mount Herbert
and Westland electorates, and chose to represent the latter.
The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea
and Westland
electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. As a result, Westland was abolished in 1867, a new electorate (Westland Boroughs
) was established, and the Act stipulated that the sitting member (Moorhouse) was transferred to it. Other new electorates, for which by-elections were to be held, were Westland North
and Westland South
. Moorhouse resigned from Westland Boroughs on 20 February 1868, and William Henry Harrison
won the resulting by-election.
, and later served as the Province's Superintendent
. James FitzGerald
resigned from the superintendency in October 1857 due to illness. Moorhouse and Joseph Brittan contested the vacancy, and obtained 727 and 352 votes, respectively. He served as Superintendent until February 1863, and another term from May 1866 to May 1868.
in 1875, and died in Wellington on 15 September 1881.
His sister Sarah Ann Moorhouse married William Barnard Rhodes
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...
politician. He was the second Superintendent of Canterbury Province
Canterbury Province
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
.
Early life
He was born in YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, 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 trained as a lawyer. After working for a time in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, he moved to Lyttelton
Lyttelton, New Zealand
Lyttelton is a port town on the north shore of Lyttelton Harbour close to Banks Peninsula, a suburb of Christchurch on the eastern coast of the South Island of New Zealand....
, New Zealand, with his two brothers in 1851. Soon afterwards, he 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...
, where he resumed his law practice. After marrying in 1853, he briefly moved to 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...
, but subsequently returned to Lyttelton. Later he moved to 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...
, where he acted as a lawyer, magistrate, newspaper editor, and ship owner.
Political career
Moorhouse was active both in national and provincial politics, and later was a Mayor of WellingtonMayor of Wellington
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
.
House of Representatives
He was elected to represent Akaroa in the 1st New Zealand Parliament1st New Zealand Parliament
The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election . It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election...
, and remained an MP until his death. In his parliamentary career, he represented the Akaroa, Heathcote
Heathcote (New Zealand electorate)
Heathcote was a 19th century parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand.-History:Heathcote existed from 1861 to 1893.George Williamson Hall resigned in 1862. He was succeeded by William Sefton Moorhouse in the 1862 by-election...
(a notice of election was gazetted on 12 July 1862, and the member sworn in on 14 July), Westland
Westland (New Zealand electorate)
Westland was a parliamentary electorate in the West Coast of New Zealand from 1866 to 1868 and 1890 to 1972. In 1972 the Tasman and West Coast electorates replaced the former Buller and Westland electorates.-History:...
, Westland Boroughs
Westland Boroughs
Westland Boroughs was a parliamentary electorate in the West Coastof New Zealand from 1867 to 1870.-History:The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea and Westland electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. Waimea lost some area, but continued...
, Christchurch
Christchurch (New Zealand electorate)
Christchurch was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand. It existed three times. Originally it was the Town of Christchurch from 1853 to 1860. From the 1860–61 election to the 1871 election, it existed as City of Christchurch. It then existed from the 1875–76 election until the...
and Ashley (elected 1879) electorates. In the 1866 election, he had won both the Mount Herbert
Mount Herbert (New Zealand electorate)
Mount Herbert was a former parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand, from 1866 to 1870.-History:The electorate was formed for the 4th New Zealand Parliament in 1866, replacing the Ellesmere electorate. The general election was held on 22 February 1866...
and Westland electorates, and chose to represent the latter.
The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea
Waimea (New Zealand electorate)
Waimea was a parliamentary electorate in the Nelson Province of New Zealand, from 1853 to 1887.-Geographic coverage:Waimea was located in the northern part of the South Island, facing the Tasman Bay. It is the area around the town of Nelson, but excluded Nelson itself. It includes Wakefield,...
and Westland
Westland (New Zealand electorate)
Westland was a parliamentary electorate in the West Coast of New Zealand from 1866 to 1868 and 1890 to 1972. In 1972 the Tasman and West Coast electorates replaced the former Buller and Westland electorates.-History:...
electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. As a result, Westland was abolished in 1867, a new electorate (Westland Boroughs
Westland Boroughs
Westland Boroughs was a parliamentary electorate in the West Coastof New Zealand from 1867 to 1870.-History:The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea and Westland electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. Waimea lost some area, but continued...
) was established, and the Act stipulated that the sitting member (Moorhouse) was transferred to it. Other new electorates, for which by-elections were to be held, were Westland North
Westland North
Westland North was a parliamentary electorate on the West Coast of New Zealand from 1868 to 1870.-History:The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea and Westland electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. Waimea lost some area, but continued to...
and Westland South
Westland South
Westland South was a parliamentary electorate on the West Coast of New Zealand from 1868 to 1870.-History:The Westland Representation Act 1867 introduced changes to the Waimea and Westland electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. Waimea lost some area, but continued to...
. Moorhouse resigned from Westland Boroughs on 20 February 1868, and William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison (New Zealand)
William Henry Harrison was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Westland, New Zealand.He represented the Westland Boroughs electorate from 1868 to 1870, and then the Grey Valley electorate from 1871 to 1875, when he retired....
won the resulting by-election.
Canterbury Provincial Council
In 1855, Moorhouse was elected to the Canterbury Provincial CouncilCanterbury Province
The Canterbury Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876. On the east coast the province was bounded by the Hurunui River in the north and the Waitaki River in the south...
, and later served as the Province's Superintendent
Superintendent (politics)
Superintendent was the elected head of each Provincial Council in New Zealand from 1853 to 1876.-Historical context:Provinces existed in New Zealand from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. After the initial provinces pre-1853, new provinces were formed by the New Zealand...
. James FitzGerald
James FitzGerald
James Edward FitzGerald was a New Zealand politician. According to some historians, he should be considered the country's first Prime Minister, although a more conventional view is that neither he nor his successor should properly be given that title. He was a notable campaigner for New Zealand...
resigned from the superintendency in October 1857 due to illness. Moorhouse and Joseph Brittan contested the vacancy, and obtained 727 and 352 votes, respectively. He served as Superintendent until February 1863, and another term from May 1866 to May 1868.
Later years
He was Mayor of WellingtonMayor of Wellington
The Mayor of Wellington is the head of the municipal government of Wellington, New Zealand, and presides over the Wellington City Council. The Mayor of Wellington administers only Wellington City itself — other municipalities in adjacent areas of the Wellington Region such as Lower Hutt, Upper...
in 1875, and died in Wellington on 15 September 1881.
His sister Sarah Ann Moorhouse married William Barnard Rhodes