James Mills (New Zealand)

Sir James Mills (30 July 1847 – 23 January 1936) was a prominent New Zealand businessman and politician. He founded the Union Steam Ship Company in Dunedin in 1875.

Mills was born in Wellington and started as clerk to Johnny Jones, and after Jones’ death floated the Union Company with backing from Peter Denny in return for orders for his Dumbarton shipyard in Scotland. The Union Company became a major shipping line, with a near-monopoly on trans-Tasman shipping, and was referred to as the "Southern Octopus".

He represented Waikouaiti on the Otago Provincial Council from 1873 to 1875, and Port Chalmers in Parliament from 1887 to 1893, when he retired.

He was knighted in 1907, and made KCMG in 1909.

The Union Company was sold by Mills to the P&O Line in 1917. He died in London in 1936, having been a UK resident since 1907.

References

* [http://www.teara.govt.nz/1966/M/MillsSirJamesKcmgKt/MillsSirJamesKcmgKt/en Biography in the 1966 "Encyclopaedia of New Zealand] "
*"Ships of the Union Company" by Gavin McLean (1989, GP Government Print, Wellington) ISBN 0 477 00016 9
*"New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984" by J. O. Wilson (1985, Government Printer, Wellington)