Charles Houghton Mills (1843 – 3 April 1923) was a member of parliament for Waimea and Wairau, in the South Island of New Zealand.

Mills was born in Nelson.^[2] His father was Richard Mills, who arrived in Nelson in 1841 on the Lord Auckland.^[3] The family moved to Wellington in the early 1850s, where his father was Governor of the gaol, and where Charles Mills was educated.^[3][4] He was a pupil teacher at Te Aro school.^[4] He went to sea for some years, and then worked in mining and farming.^[3] Later, Mills was a commission agent.^[2]

Mills settled in Havelock in 1871 and married Margaret, a daughter of John Morrison, in the same year.^[3][5]

The 1887 general election in the Waimea-Picton electorate was contested by Arthur Seymour, Joseph Harkness and Mills, who received 446, 444 and 415 votes, respectively. Seymour was thus elected.^[6]

The 1890 general election in the Waimea-Picton electorate was contested by Mills, Richmond Hursthouse and William Henry Phillips, who received 936, 728 and 80 votes, respectively.^[7] Mills was thus elected and represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1893. He then represented the successor electorates of Waimea-Sounds (1893–1896) and Wairau (1896–1908) in the New Zealand House of Representatives.^[8] The 1896 general election was contested by the incumbent Lindsay Buick and Mills, who received 2014 and 2072 votes, respectively. Mills thus succeeded Buick in Wairau.^[9]

Mills served as the Liberal Party's Senior Whip from 1894 until his elevation to cabinet in 1900.^[10] He was Minister of Trade and Customs between 1900 and 1906 and Minister of Immigration in 1906.^[8]

He was a member of the Provincial Council and Marlborough County Council, and of the Legislative Council between 1909 and 1916.^[11]

Mills died on 3 April 1923 and was buried at Omaka Cemetery, Blenheim.^[4][12] He was survived by his wife.^[4]