List of speakers of the New Zealand Legislative Council

The speaker of the Legislative Council was the chair of New Zealand's appointed upper house, the Legislative Council. The office corresponded roughly to that of speaker of the House of Representatives. The functions of the speaker included presiding over debates held in the chamber of the Council, and advising the legislative councillors on procedural rules. The position was abolished in 1951, along with the Legislative Council itself.

Holders of the office

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Eighteen people held the office of speaker since the creation of the Legislative Council. Two had previously been premier, and another went on to serve in that office; one had previously been speaker of the House of Representatives. A comprehensive list of speakers is below.[1]

Key

  Independent   Liberal   IPLL   Reform   United   Labour   National
†: died in office

No. Name Portrait In office Government
1 William Swainson   16 May 1854 8 August 1855 pre-responsible government
2 Frederick Whitaker1   8 August 1855 12 May 1856
Sewell Ministry
3 Thomas Bartley   12 May 1856 1 July 1868
first Fox Ministry
first Stafford Ministry
second Fox Ministry
Domett Ministry
Whitaker–Fox Ministry
Weld Ministry
second Stafford Ministry
4 John Richardson   1 July 1868 6 December 1878†
third Fox Ministry
third Stafford Ministry
Waterhouse Ministry
fourth Fox Ministry
first Vogel Ministry
Pollen Ministry
second Vogel Ministry
first Atkinson Ministry
second Atkinson Ministry
Grey Ministry
5 William Fitzherbert3   14 June 1878 22 April 1887†
Hall Ministry
Whitaker Ministry
third Atkinson Ministry
first Stout–Vogel Ministry
fourth Atkinson Ministry
second Stout–Vogel Ministry
6 George Waterhouse2   22 April 1887 21 September 1887
(5) William Fitzherbert 2nd time   21 September 1887 23 January 1891
Scarecrow Ministry
7 Harry Atkinson2   23 January 1891 28 June 1892† Liberal Government
8 Henry Miller   8 July 1892 6 October 1897
6 October 1897 9 July 1903
9 William Walker   9 July 1903 5 January 1904†
10 John Rigg[2] (acting)   5 January 1904 7 July 1904
11 Alfred Cadman   7 July 1904 23 March 1905†
12 Richard Reeves (acting)   23 March 1905 30 June 1905
13 Charles Bowen[3]   30 June 1905 4 July 19104
4 July 1910 4 July 1915
Reform Government
14 Charles Johnston   7 July 1915 13 June 1918†
15 Walter Carncross   1 November 1918 10 July 19244
10 July 1924 10 July 19294
United Government
10 July 1929 10 July 19344
United–Reform Coalition
10 July 1934 18 July 1939
First Labour Government
16 Mark Fagan   18 July 1939 2 August 19444
2 August 1944 31 December 1947†
17 Bernard Martin   29 June 1948 8 March 1950
First National Government
18 Thomas Bishop   15 March 1950 31 December 1951

1 Later served as premier.
2 Previously served as premier.
3 Previously speaker of the House of Representatives.
4 Reappointed at end of member's term. † Speaker died in office.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 88.
  2. ^ Thomas, Paul. "Rigg, John 1858–1943". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 14 January 2012.
  3. ^ Lineham, Peter J. "Bowen, Charles Christopher - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 31 October 2011.