George Hunter (mayor)

George Hunter (1788 - 19 July 1843) was the first Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 – 1843.

Born in Banffshire, Scotland he came to Wellington in the ship Duke of Roxburgh in 1840, with his wife, six daughters and four sons. He was in business on Willis Street with Kenneth Bethune as general and shipping merchants, and lived in Tinakori Road, where Premier House was later built.

On 3 October 1842, he was the highest polling of the twelve aldermen elected to the new Wellington Borough, and was declared Mayor.

He was described by Mary Swainson as having a bald head, circular spectacles and beaming eyes, and as exactly resembling Mr Pickwick of Charles Dickens "The Pickwick Papers". He was one of the founders of the Pickwick Club in Wellington.

Shortly after his arrival, Hunter asked Samuel Parnell, a carpenter he had met on the ship, to build him a store, to which Parnell agreed, provided he only worked eight hours a day, the beginning of the "Eight Hour Day" in New Zealand. As there were only three carpenters in Wellington, Hunter reluctantly agreed to this condition.

In 1843, while attending a meeting to express sympathy for the victims of the Wairau Affray he caught a chill, and died a few days later.

He was succeeded as Mayor by William Guyton.

Hunter's eldest son, George Hunter and his grandson Sir George Hunter were both Members of Parliament.

External links

* [http://wellington.govt.nz/services/history/mayors/mayors.html "Early Mayors of Wellington" (with photos, from WCC Archives)]

References

* "Wellington: Biography of a City" by Redmer Yska (2006, Reed, Auckland) pages 27-28.
* "No Mean City" by Stuart Perry (1969, Wellington City Council) includes a paragraph and a portrait or photo for each mayor.
* "The Birth of a City: Wellington 1840-1843" by A. H. Carman (1970, Wright & Carman, Wellington) pages 108 & 171.