George Vesey Stewart (1832–1920) was a New Zealand farmer, coloniser and local politician. He was born in Brighton, Sussex, England in about 1832. [1]
He was a member of the Orange Order, and recruited settlers for his colonial project in Katikati from Orange Order members in Ulster. [2]
The 1881 election in the newly formed Tauranga electorate was hotly contested. Four candidates were nominated: George Morris, who had previously represented the East Coast electorate; Stewart, then the owner of the Bay of Plenty Times; William Kelly, who had also previously represented the East Coast electorate; and Henry Thomas Rowe, a surveyor and commission agent. [3] Rowe announced his retirement from the contest on 6 December three days out from election day, urging his supporters to vote for Stewart instead. [4] The unofficial results were released the day after the election (on Saturday, 10 December) and Morris had a majority of 13 votes over Stewart, with the official declaration to be made on 12 December. [5] This was deferred until 14 December, with Morris ahead by 10 votes. [6] Stewart stood for the Tauranga mayoralty a few months later and was elected the town's first mayor. [1]
Stewart stood in the 1893 election in the Bay of Plenty electorate as an independent and came a distant fourth. [7]
His brother's wife was Adela Blanche Stewart, who wrote the book My Simple Life in New Zealand.
George Vesey Stewart (1832–1920) was a New Zealand farmer, coloniser and local politician. He was born in Brighton, Sussex, England in about 1832. [1]
He was a member of the Orange Order, and recruited settlers for his colonial project in Katikati from Orange Order members in Ulster. [2]
The 1881 election in the newly formed Tauranga electorate was hotly contested. Four candidates were nominated: George Morris, who had previously represented the East Coast electorate; Stewart, then the owner of the Bay of Plenty Times; William Kelly, who had also previously represented the East Coast electorate; and Henry Thomas Rowe, a surveyor and commission agent. [3] Rowe announced his retirement from the contest on 6 December three days out from election day, urging his supporters to vote for Stewart instead. [4] The unofficial results were released the day after the election (on Saturday, 10 December) and Morris had a majority of 13 votes over Stewart, with the official declaration to be made on 12 December. [5] This was deferred until 14 December, with Morris ahead by 10 votes. [6] Stewart stood for the Tauranga mayoralty a few months later and was elected the town's first mayor. [1]
Stewart stood in the 1893 election in the Bay of Plenty electorate as an independent and came a distant fourth. [7]
His brother's wife was Adela Blanche Stewart, who wrote the book My Simple Life in New Zealand.