Benjamin Harris (New Zealand politician)

Benjamin Harris (1836 – 12 February 1928) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in New Zealand. In 1893 he appears to have been a Liberal Party supporter.^[1]

Harris was born at Lisburn, Ireland, in 1836.^[2] The family migrated to England, Canada, and Australia, before settling in New Zealand in East Tāmaki in 1847.^[2][3] Early in his life, he had a farm in Pukekohe.^[2] With the outbreak of the New Zealand Wars, he joined the Otahuhu Cavalry Volunteers in 1861, and, as The Press in Christchurch as a contemporary source records, "for a few years subsequently galloped about slaying Maoris [sic] in the interests of settlement, civilisation, and Christianity."^[4] He returned to his farm in 1866 and married the following year.^[2] The locality of Harrisville was named after him as he was the major landowner.^[5]

He represented the Ramarama electorate on the Auckland Provincial Council from October 1874 until the abolition of provincial councils two years later.^[6]

He represented South Auckland electorates; Franklin from 1879 to 1881; and then the replacement electorate of Franklin North from 1881. His 1881 election was declared void in 1882, but he won the subsequent 1882 by-election. In 1884 he was defeated.^[1] He contested the 1890 election in the reconstituted Franklin electorate, but was defeated by Ebenezer Hamlin.^[7]

Harris then represented the Franklin electorate from 1893 to 1896, when he was again defeated, by future Prime Minister William Massey.^[8]

From 1895 until 1896 he was the Liberal Party's junior whip.^[9]

On 3 February 1897, he was appointed to the Legislative Council. At the end of the seven-year terms, he was reappointed in 1904, 1911 and 1918. He resigned on 20 June 1923.^[10]

Late in his life, he lived in Clyde Street in Epsom.^[11] He died at his home, Taumaihi, on 12 February 1928 and was buried at Pukekohe Cemetery. He was survived by his wife Jane, three daughters and one son.^[2]

• Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-014-3.
• Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.