Charles Hall (New Zealand politician)

Charles Hall
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waipawa
In office 1893–1896
Preceded by	William Cowper Smith
Succeeded by	George Hunter
In office 1899–1911
Preceded by	George Hunter
Succeeded by	George Hunter
Mayor of Woodville
In office 1889–1890
Preceded by	Joseph Sowry
Succeeded by	Hubert Burnett
Personal details
Born	1843 Malton, Yorkshire, England
Died	29 May 1937 Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Liberal
Children	Three

Charles Hall (c. 1842 – 29 May 1937) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He represented the Waipawa electorate from 1893 to 1896 when he was defeated, then from 1899 to 1911 when he retired.[1]

Biography

Early life

Hall was born at Malton, Yorkshire, in about 1842.[2] His first wife, Eliza died in her youth leaving Hall a widower. They had one child, a daughter. Hall decided to shift to New Zealand and arrived at Napier in the ship Countess of Kintore in 1875 and entered the building trade upon arrival. Hall started up trade in Napier where he married Marian Dinsdale in 1878; the marriage issued two children one daughter and one son. He was keenly interested in land settlement and in 1880 took up a bush section in northern Manawatu. His family's home was destroyed in a bush fire and he and his family moved to Woodville where he again entered the building trade.[2]

Owing to his active interest in land settlement, Hall was appointed by the government to serve as a selector for government land subdivisions.[3] He assisted in the settlement of the Hall and Malton blocks near Woodville, and was also an original selector in the Mangahao block, near Pahiatua.[2]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1893–1896	12th	Waipawa			Liberal
1899–1902	14th	Waipawa			Liberal
1902–1905	15th	Waipawa			Liberal
1905–1908	16th	Waipawa			Liberal
1908–1911	17th	Waipawa			Liberal

Hall had a long, and active public life. He started his career locally holding many civil authority positions, serving as the mayor of Woodville, chairman of the Waipawa County Council, District Coroner, a member of the Waipawa Licensing Committee and a member of the Hawke's Bay Education Board.[2]

In 1893 Hall was elected to Parliament as MP for Waipawa as the Liberal Party candidate. At the next election he lost his seat to the Conservative candidate George Hunter. In 1899 he won the seat back and would retain it until the 1911 election when he chose to retire from national politics.[3]

Later life and death

After retiring from Parliament Hall travelled back to England and stayed there for three years before returning in 1915 and settling in Dannevirke. His second wife died in 1918 and Hall himself died in 1937 in Wellington aged 95 years old. He was survived by all three of his children.[2]

Notes

1. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 202. OCLC 154283103.
2. "Obituary". Evening Post. Vol. CXXIII, no. 127. 31 May 1937. p. 5. Retrieved 25 September 2016.
3. Hamer 1988, p. 363.

References

• Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-014-3. OCLC 18420103.

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by William Cowper Smith	Member of Parliament for Waipawa 1893–1896 1899–1911	Succeeded by George Hunter
Preceded by George Hunter		Succeeded by George Hunter
Political offices
Preceded by Joseph Sowry	Mayor of Woodville 1889-1890	Succeeded by Hubert Burnett