William Hunter Reynolds

William Hunter Reynolds (1 May 1822 – 1 April 1899) was a 19th-century businessman and Member of Parliament in Dunedin, Otago region, New Zealand. He was a cabinet minister.[1]

Biography

Early life

Reynolds was involved in shipping by trade, initially in partnership with his brother-in-law James Macandrew who had married his sister Elizabeth Hunter Reynolds. Reynolds himself married Rachel Pinkerton in 1856 and together raised nine children together.[2]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1863–1866 3rd Dunedin and Suburbs South Independent
1866 4th City of Dunedin Independent
1867–1870 4th City of Dunedin Independent
1871–1875 5th City of Dunedin Independent
1876–1878 6th Port Chalmers Independent

He represented the Dunedin and Suburbs South electorate from 1863 to 1866, when the 3rd Parliament was dissolved. He then represented the City of Dunedin electorate in 1866 (resigned) and from 1867 to 1875. He then represented the Port Chalmers electorate (Port Chalmers was Dunedin’s port) from 1876 to 1878, when he resigned.[3]

He was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council on 30 April 1878, and served until he died.[1]

In 1893 Reynolds was at the centre of a drama that led to the passing of the Women's suffrage bill into law. Premier Seddon had expected to stop the bill in the upper house, but found that one more vote was needed. Thomas Kelly, a new Liberal Party councillor had left himself paired in favour of the measure, but Seddon obtained his consent by wire to change his vote. Seddon's manipulation so incensed two opposition councillors, Reynolds and Edward Cephas John Stevens that they changed sides and voted for the bill, allowing it to pass by 20 votes to 18 and so gave the vote to women.[4]

References

  1. 1 2 A. H. McLintock, ed. (23 April 2009). "FEATHERSTON, Dr Isaac Earl". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 7 December 2010. Check date values in: |year=, |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  2. ↑ Thomson, Jane (1998). Southern People - A Dictionary of Otago-Southland Biography. Dunedin, New Zealand: Longacre Press. pp. 417–418. ISBN 1 877135 11 9.
  3. ↑ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
  4. ↑ Women's Suffrage in New Zealand by Patricia Grimshaw, p 92. (1972, Auckland University Press)


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