Robert Graham (New Zealand politician)

Robert Graham (15 May 1820 – 26 May 1885) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician in the Auckland area.

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1855–1860	2nd	Southern Division		Independent
1861–1864	3rd	Franklin		Independent
1866–1868	4th	Franklin		Independent

Early life

Graham was born in 1820 in the parish of Barony in Glasgow, Scotland. His parents were Barbara Stirling Rennie and the farmer and coal merchant Robert Graham. His brother was David Graham.^[1]

Political career

He represented the Southern Division electorate (containing Waikato, Coromandel, the Bay of Plenty, and East Cape) in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament from 1855 to 1860, and then represented the Franklin electorate in the 3rd Parliament and the 4th Parliament from 1861 to 1868, when he resigned.^[2]

He was the fifth Superintendent of Auckland from 1862 to 1865.^[3] Prior to this, he had represented the Southern Division electorate on the Provincial Council from 1855 to 1857, and he represented the Franklin electorate from 1865 to 1869.^[4]

Family life

He has two great-grandsons who are – or have been – MPs:

• Doug Graham was a National MP from 1984 to 1999 and a cabinet minister
• Kennedy Graham is a current Green Party MP, who entered Parliament in December 2008

Notes

1. Graham, Douglas. "Graham, Robert". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
2. Scholefield 1950, p. 109.
3. Scholefield 1950, p. 179.
4. Scholefield 1950, p. 183.

References

• Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.