New Zealand Legislative Council

Unlike the elected lower house, the House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was wholly appointed by the governor-general.

The House of Representatives was created by the New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, an Act of the British Parliament, which established a bicameral legislature; however the upper chamber, the Legislative Council, was abolished in 1950.

When New Zealand became a colony in 1841 the Legislative Council was established as the country's first legislature; it was reconstituted as the upper house of a bicameral legislature when New Zealand became self-governing in 1852.

The first organs of the New Zealand Government were also established to assist the Governor: an Executive Council and a legislative council.

One member was to be selected as Speaker of the Legislative Council, corresponding roughly to the position of Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The speaker of the Legislative Council was the chair of New Zealand's appointed upper house, the Legislative Council.

The seven appointments on 20 or 22 January to the Council were Atkinson himself (he was appointed Speaker) plus Charles Bowen, James Fulton, Charles John Johnston, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart Sr and John Blair Whyte.

John Davies Ormond (1831 – 6 October 1917) was a New Zealand politician whose positions included Superintendent of Hawke's Bay Province, Minister of Public Works and member of the New Zealand Legislative Council.

Unlike the elected lower house, the House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was wholly appointed by the governor-general.

The new parliamentary session is marked by the opening of parliament, during which the governor-general delivers the 'Speech from the Throne' in the Legislative Council Chamber, outlining the Government's legislative agenda.

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 had authorised the appointment of a minimum of ten councillors.

The Legislative Council was an appointed body of no less than ten councillors (with a quorum of five), who were at least 21 years old and British subjects.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

He was the first Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Council.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

Dr Ralph Richardson (1812–1897/1898) was a Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

He was a member of the Legislative Council of New Munster Province from 1849, and was appointed to the new Legislative Council in 1853 until his resignation in 1860.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

John Charles Watts-Russell JP (1825 – 2 April 1875) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician, a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council and a member of the Legislative Council.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

Edmund Hooke Wilson Bellairs (1823–1898) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council.

The seven appointments on 20 or 22 January to the Council were Atkinson himself (he was appointed Speaker) plus Charles Bowen, James Fulton, Charles John Johnston, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart Sr and John Blair Whyte.

Bowen was directly appointed to cabinet (by way of the Legislative Council) on 16 December 1874, but wary of criticism that a public servant had been awarded political office, he resigned from the Legislative Council and stood for election to the House of Representatives in the 22 January 1875 Kaiapoi by-election, following the resignation of John Studholme on 8 December 1874.

Ballance had considerable difficulty in achieving his reform of the Council, with major clashes occurring between him and the Governor, The Earl of Onslow, who had approved the seven appointments.

In 1890 Onslow became embroiled in controversy over appointments to the Legislative Council (the upper house of the New Zealand parliament), which were made by the governor on the advice of his ministers.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

He was appointed to the General Legislative Council on 3 March 1845 until 22 December of that year.

In 1950 when the First National Government appointed the suicide squad to vote the council out of existence three women were included; Cora Louisa Burrell, Ethel Marion Gould and Agnes Louisa Weston.

The suicide squad in New Zealand was a so-nicknamed group of New Zealand Legislative Councillors appointed in 1950 by Prime Minister Sidney Holland tasked with voting the New Zealand Legislative Council out of existence.

The seven appointments on 20 or 22 January to the Council were Atkinson himself (he was appointed Speaker) plus Charles Bowen, James Fulton, Charles John Johnston, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart Sr and John Blair Whyte.

He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1891 until his death in 1918, and the Speaker from 1915 to 1918.

In 1950 when the First National Government appointed the suicide squad to vote the council out of existence three women were included; Cora Louisa Burrell, Ethel Marion Gould and Agnes Louisa Weston.

Two, Mary Anderson and Mary Dreaver, were appointed in 1946 by the First Labour Government.

Mary Patricia Anderson (17 March 1887 – 18 February 1966) was one of the first two women appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council (upper house).

In 1950 when the First National Government appointed the suicide squad to vote the council out of existence three women were included; Cora Louisa Burrell, Ethel Marion Gould and Agnes Louisa Weston.

Agnes Louisa Weston (née Steuart, 17 January 1879 – 8 August 1972) from Wellington was appointed a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council on 22 June 1950.

In 1950 when the First National Government appointed the suicide squad to vote the council out of existence three women were included; Cora Louisa Burrell, Ethel Marion Gould and Agnes Louisa Weston.

Ethel Marion Gould (née Hirst, 2 February 1895 – 9 March 1992) from Auckland was appointed a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council on 22 June 1950.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

George Cutfield (1799–1879) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 31 December 1853 to 18 March 1854, when he resigned; and 16 February 1858 to 10 April 1867, when he again resigned.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

William Henry Kenny (1811 – 17 August 1880) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 26 May 1853 to 17 August 1880, when he died.

They were John Salmon, William Swainson and Frederick Whitaker on 26 May 1853; Mathew Richmond on 23 June 1853; and on 31 December 1853 Edmund Bellairs, George Cutfield, William Kenny, John Yeeden Lloyd, Ralph Richardson, Henry Seymour, Henry St. Hill and John Charles Watts-Russell.

Swainson was appointed to the subsequent New Zealand Legislative Council (the upper house) on 26 May 1853 and became its first Speaker, from 16 May 1854.

The seven appointments on 20 or 22 January to the Council were Atkinson himself (he was appointed Speaker) plus Charles Bowen, James Fulton, Charles John Johnston, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart Sr and John Blair Whyte.

Stewart retired from Parliament in 1890 at the end of the electoral term, and was appointed to the Legislative Council.

In 1891, life membership was replaced by a seven-year term by the new Liberal Party government of John Ballance.

Harry Atkinson, the Premier who had defeated Stout, was forced to resign, but not before stacking the Legislative Council with his supporters.