George_Buckley_(New_Zealand_politician)
George Buckley (New Zealand politician)
New Zealand runholder and politician (1830–1895)
George Buckley (1830 – 19 November 1895) was a New Zealand runholder and politician.
Buckley was born in 1830.[1] He married Alexandrina McLean on 25 February 1860; she was the sister of John and Allan McLean.[2][3]
He was a partner in the Lyttelton firm Dalgety, Buckley, and Co.[4] John and Allan McLean bought the Waikakahi run near Waimate in 1866, and they took Buckley into their business partnership. Buckley sold his shares to the McLean brothers in 1875.[5]
Buckley was a member of the Canterbury Provincial Council. He represented the Town of Lyttelton electorate (1862–1866) and then the Waimate electorate until the abolition of provincial government (1866–1876).[6] He was a member of the Executive Council for three periods: in November 1866, from August to October 1871, and from April 1875 to June 1876.[7] He held the offices of Deputy-Superintendent and Provincial Secretary.[8] He stood in the 1866 election in the Heathcote electorate, but was defeated by John Hall (who was later to become the 12th Premier).[9]
He was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 3 July 1871 to 19 August 1884 when he was disqualified for absence; and 28 October 1884 to 9 September 1885 when he resigned.[10]
Buckley was the president of the Bank of New Zealand for a short time in the late 1880s. His revelations about the financial situation of the bank caused "a good deal of sensation".[8] He left for Melbourne after his resignation from the bank, and he died in the Melbourne suburb of Brighton on 19 November 1895 after having been unwell for some time.[4][11] He was survived by his wife, three daughters, and three sons,[4] is buried in the Brighton Cemetery.[8] His wife died in 1902 aged 70.[12] His son George became notable through an Antarctic journey.[13] His youngest daughter, Ruby, married Arthur Rolleston in 1899.[14]
Buckleys Road in the Christchurch suburb of Linwood is named after him.[1]