Edward Newman (4 July 1858 – 24 April 1946) was a Reform Party Member of Parliament and a member of the

New Zealand Legislative Council The New Zealand Legislative Council was the upper house of the General Assembly of New Zealand between 1853 and 1951. An earlier arrangement of legislative councils for the colony and provinces existed from 1841 when New Zealand became a co ...

in the early 20th century.

Early life and family

Newman was born in the

Partick Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and ...

area of Glasgow, Scotland, in 1858. His father, also called Edward Newman, was a surgeon in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

and his mother was Annabella Newman (née Smith). He emigrated to New Zealand around 1875, and worked on sheep farms, until he took up his own property in the Turakina Valley in 1882. He returned to Glasgow to marry Catherine Ann Wilson in 1886. The couple had two children, one of whom died in infancy.

Political career

He represented Manawatu from 1908, then Rangitikei from

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

, then Manawatu again from

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

. He retired in 1922. He was appointed to the

on 1 June 1923 and served one term until 31 May 1930. In the

1923 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1923 were appointments by King George V to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by members of the British Empire. They were published on 29 December 1922. The recipients of honours are displayed here ...

, Newman was appointed a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

Flock House

Newman played an active role in establishing Flock House. He wanted the farmers of New Zealand to acknowledge the efforts of the British seamen who kept the sea lanes open during

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

. He established a fund so that the sons of British seamen who had been killed or wounded could be trained in New Zealand to start a new life, in conjunction with the Sheepfarmers' Association of New Zealand. A property was purchased in 1924, and Flock House remained an agricultural training facility until 1988.Berry, John – Eastwoodhill, a Man's Tall Dream. Gisborne, New Zealand, 1997, p.17f

Notes

References

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Newman, Edward 1858 births 1946 deaths People from Partick Scottish emigrants to New Zealand Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs Reform Party (New Zealand) MLCs New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council New Zealand Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Local politicians in New Zealand