William Joseph Napier

William Joseph Napier (1857 – 28 November 1925) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament for City Auckland (1899–1902) in New Zealand.

William Joseph Napier
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for City of Auckland
In office
1899–1902
Preceded byJames Job Holland
Succeeded byFrederick Baume
Personal details
Born1857
Ireland
Died28 November 1925
Auckland, New Zealand
Political partyLiberal

Early life

Napier was born in Ireland and arrived in New Zealand when he was five years old. He was educated at St Peter's School, Auckland Grammar School and St John's College, Auckland.[1]

Lawyer

Napier was a lawyer. He was called to the bar in New Zealand in 1883, and in Fiji in 1886.[1] In 1889 he became adviser to Mata'afa Iosefo, a ruler in Samoa.[1] He was counsel to Sir George Grey until his death, and to Te Kooti and Rewi Maniapoto.[1] He also acted for Malietoa Tanumafili I, another traditional ruler of Samoa, as well as the Government of Tonga.[2]

Politician
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1899–1902 14th City of Auckland Liberal

Napier contested the 1890 election in the City of Auckland electorate. Of seven candidates, he came fifth.[3][4] Napier was elected to the City of Auckland multi-member electorate in 1899, but was defeated in 1902.[5] In 1901 he was chairman of the statutes revision committee.[1] Napier was a member of the Auckland Harbour Board (1893–1907) and for a time chairman; a founder and president of the Navy League (1893–1907) and the Victoria League in New Zealand and captain for nine years of the Devonport coastguard artillery.[1]

Napier contested the 1908 election in the Waitemata electorate, but was beaten by Leonard Phillips in the second ballot.[6] He then contested the 1911 election in the same electorate and won the first ballot, but was again beaten by Phillips in the second ballot.[7]

Later life

Napier was elected a fellow of the North British Academy of Arts in 1910.[8] Napier died at a private hospital in Auckland on 28 November 1925,[9] and was survived by his wife and two sons. In 1914 he became the president of the Sunnyside Rugby League Football Club which played on the North Shore of Auckland before they merged with North Shore Albions in 1920. At the 1915 annual general meeting he did not seek re-election. The former New Zealand Prime Minister, Joseph Ward was appointed the club patron.[10]

He is buried at Hillsborough Cemetery.[11]

References
  1. Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda (PDF). Vol. II. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 115. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  2. "Mr W J Napier" in "Auckland City and Suburban Members of the House of Representatives" The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, The Cyclopedia Company Limited, Christchurch, 1902, Volume 2 Auckland, p. 7.
  3. "The General Election, 1890". National Library. 1891. p. 1. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  4. "Auckland City". Auckland Star. Vol. XXI, no. 280. 27 November 1890. p. 5. Retrieved 26 June 2012.
  5. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
  6. Mansfield, F. W. (1909). The General Election, 1908. National Library. pp. 2, 3, 28. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  7. Mansfield, F. W. (1912). The General Election, 1911. National Library. pp. 1, 6. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  8. "Pars about People". New Zealand Observer and Free Lance. Vol. XXXI, no. 4. 8 October 1910.
  9. "Obituary". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXII, no. 19188. 30 November 1925. p. 1. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  10. "Northern Union Football". Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 64. 16 March 1915. p. 7. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  11. "Obituary". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXII, no. 19188. 30 November 1925. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
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