Robert Fletcher (politician)

Robert Fletcher (3 July 1863 – 4 September 1918) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.

Robert Fletcher
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Wellington Central
In office 10 December 1914 – 4 September 1918
Preceded by	Francis Fisher
Succeeded by	Peter Fraser
Personal details
Born	3 July 1863 St Andrews, Fife, Scotland
Died	4 September 1918 (aged 55) Wellington, New Zealand
Spouse(s)	Frances Sarah Aspland ​ ​ (m. 1884)​

Early life and family

Fletcher was born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, on 3 July 1863, the son of David Fletcher and his wife Margaret Ann Duncan.[1][2] After briefly working for the Midland Railway Company, he became a sailor for eight years with the Dundee Shipping Line, and arrived in New Zealand in 1883. He worked as a sailor in coastal shipping until 1885, when he became a pilot for the Wellington Harbour Board and, later, worked on the wharves.[1][3] He was a prominent Freemason in Wellington.[3]

Political career

Local-body politics

Fletcher was elected as a member of the Wellington Harbour Board in 1906, and held his seat until his death in 1918. He served as the board's chair between 1910 and 1915. From 1907 to 1915 he was also a member of the Wellington City Council.[1] Fletcher contested the 1915 mayoralty contest, coming second to incumbent Mayor John Luke.[4]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1914–1918	19th	Wellington Central		Liberal

The Wellington Central electorate was formed for the 1905 election, and it was held from the beginning by Francis Fisher (known as Rainbow Fisher for his frequent changes of political allegiance). The 1911 general election required a second ballot if no candidate could achieve an absolute majority in the first round. The election was contested by Fisher (for the Reform Party), Fletcher, Tom Young (Labour Party) and Frank Freeman (Socialist Party), with Fisher having a majority of one vote over Fletcher.[5][6] In the second ballot a week later, Fisher beat Fletcher with a majority of 150 votes.[6] By the next general election in 1914, the incumbent Fisher as a government minister contested Wellington Central against Fletcher again, and he was decisively beaten by 2677 votes to 4910.[7]

Fletcher represented Wellington Central in Parliament until 4 September 1918, when he died at his home in Wellington, having been in poor health for over a year.[1][8][9][10] The by-election caused by his death was won by future Prime Minister Peter Fraser of the Labour Party.[9]

References

1. "Obituary: death of Mr. Robert Fletcher, M.P." Evening Post. 4 September 1918. p. 6. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
2. "Scotland, select births and baptisms, 1564–1950". Ancestry.com. 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
3. Scholefield, G.H., ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. 1. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 267.
4. "Wellington City Council". Evening Post. LXXXIX (108). 8 May 1915. p. 8. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
5. "The Wellington Central Seat". Colonist. LIV (13287). 12 December 1911. p. 4. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
6. "Wellington Central". The Evening Post. LXXXII (144). 15 December 1911. p. 2. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
7. "Wellington Central". The Evening Post. LXXXVIII (141). 11 December 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 30 August 2011.
8. "Death". The Dominion. 5 September 1918. p. 1. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
9. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. pp. 197–198. OCLC 154283103.
10. Gustafson, Barry (1980). Labour's path to political independence: The Origins and Establishment of the New Zealand Labour Party, 1900–19. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press. p. 134. ISBN 0-19-647986-X.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)

• Ephemera concerning local authority politics and elections in the Wellington area, 1900-1969, n.p.: n.p., 1900–1969