Charles Button
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Charles Edward Button (23 August 1838 – 27 December 1920) was a solicitor, Supreme Court judge, Mayor of
Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of ...
and later
Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...
, and an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Born in Tasmania, he came to New Zealand with his wife in 1863. He first lived in Invercargill, then in Westland, and after a brief period in Christchurch, he settled in Auckland. He was an MP for two periods, and when he was first elected to Parliament, he beat his colleague, friend, political opponent, and later Premier
Richard Seddon Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 15th premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. In office for thirteen years, he is to date New Zealand's longest-ser ...
; this was the only election defeat ever suffered by Seddon.


Early life

Button was born in
Launceston, Tasmania Launceston () is a city in the north of Tasmania, Australia, at the confluence of the North Esk River, North Esk and South Esk River, South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River, Tasmania, Tamar River (kanamaluka). As of 2021, the Launc ...
, in 1838, the seventh son of Thomas Button. His father was a member of the first municipal council in Launceston, and his uncle
William Stammers Button William Stammers Button (1795–1876) was an English free settler in the Colony of Van Diemen's Land (later Tasmania). He served as the first mayor of Launceston from 1853 to 1856, and was associated with the beginnings of the Princes Square ...
was the first Mayor of Launceston. He received his education at Hobart High School and was then trained as a solicitor at
Douglas Douglas may refer to: People * Douglas (given name) * Douglas (surname) Animals * Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking * Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil ...
, Dawes and Miller in Launceston. He married Louisa Cowell, a daughter of Henry Cowell of Launceston, in 1862.


Legal practice in New Zealand

After running his own practice for a short time, Button emigrated to
Invercargill Invercargill ( , ) is the southernmost and westernmost list of cities in New Zealand, city in New Zealand, and one of the Southernmost settlements, southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland Region, Southlan ...
, New Zealand, in 1863, where he continued to work in law. In 1865, he moved to
Hokitika Hokitika is a town in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island, south of Greymouth, and close to the mouth of the Hokitika River. It is the seat and largest town in the Westland District. The town's estimated population is as of ...
, and became a specialist in mining law. He practised with Walter Reid, who later became New Zealand's first
Solicitor-General A solicitor general is a government official who serves as the chief representative of the government in courtroom proceedings. In systems based on the English common law that have an attorney general or equivalent position, the solicitor general ...
. He moved to
Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...
in 1880 and had his office in
Gloucester Street Gloucester Street is a major urban street in central Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It runs for approximately from a junction with Rolleston Avenue at its western end, directly opposite Christ's College, to the suburbs of ...
. Early in 1881, he moved into the offices of
Henry Wynn-Williams William Henry Wynn-Williams (1828 – 27 October 1913) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Canterbury, New Zealand. He was a prominent lawyer in Christchurch. Early life Wynn-Williams was born in August 1828 in Llangar, Conwy County B ...
in Hereford Street. He left Christchurch late in 1883 and moved to
Auckland Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
. In Auckland, he joined the firm of Whitaker and Russell. He later had his own practice under the banner of Buddle, Button and Co. On 12 March 1907, Button became a judge at the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
. This was a temporary replacement for another judge who was overseas, and he retired after one or two years of service.


Political career

Button first stood for
Parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
in the 1868 supplementary election, which was held in the newly established Westland South electorate. On nomination day (30 March) Edmund Barff and Button were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Button (41 votes to 5), a poll was demanded. Barff was subsequently elected the following week. Button was elected in the Hokitika electorate for the
Westland County Westland County, also known as County of Westland, was a local government area on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. It existed from 1868 to 1873, and then from 1876 until 1989. In its first incarnation, it constituted the government f ...
for five months in 1869, and the Totara electorate in 1870–1872. He was chosen as the fourth Mayor of Hokitika in 1868–1869. He contested the two-member Hokitika electorate in
1876 Events January * January 1 ** The Reichsbank opens in Berlin. ** The Bass Brewery Red Triangle becomes the world's first registered trademark symbol. *January 27 – The Northampton Bank robbery occurs in Massachusetts. February * Febr ...
with Barff,
Richard Seddon Richard John Seddon (22 June 1845 – 10 June 1906) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 15th premier (prime minister) of New Zealand from 1893 until his death. In office for thirteen years, he is to date New Zealand's longest-ser ...
, Robert Reid and Conrad Hoos. Button had known Seddon professionally, as they were both lawyers and often argued cases as opponents. Although of differing political views, Button and Seddon became lifelong friends. Barff and Button were returned, with Reid coming third and Seddon fourth. Thus Button (and Barff) caused Seddon's only ever defeat at an election; Seddon is to date New Zealand's longest-serving
Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
. When Hokitika electorate constituents passed a resolution in 1878 that thanked Button but expressed regret that he did not support Sir
George Grey Sir George Grey, KCB (14 April 1812 – 19 September 1898) was a British soldier, explorer, colonial administrator and writer. He served in a succession of governing positions: Governor of South Australia, twice Governor of New Zealand, Gov ...
, Button handed in his resignation. The resulting
by-election A by-election, also known as a special election in the United States and the Philippines, or a bypoll in India, is an election used to fill an office that has become vacant between general elections. A vacancy may arise as a result of an incumben ...
was won by
Seymour Thorne George Seymour Thorne George (10 October 1851 – 2 July 1922) was a New Zealand politician. The premier, Sir George Grey, was his wife's half-uncle and adoptive father, and that relationship resulted in Thorne George representing the South Island elec ...
. When
Birkenhead Birkenhead () is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral, Merseyside, England. The town is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite Liverpool. It lies within the Historic counties of England, historic co ...
Borough Council was formed in 1888, Button was elected unopposed as the borough's first mayor on 9 May. He remained the borough's mayor for 12 years until he resigned in January 1901; he was succeeded by
Joseph Witheford Joseph Howard Witheford (1848 – 30 October 1931) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in Auckland, New Zealand. Biography He was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, England, in 1848. Witheford was elected to the City of Auckland ele ...
. He was elected to the multi-member City of Auckland electorate in
1893 Events January * January 2 – Webb C. Ball introduces railroad chronometers, which become the general railroad timepiece standards in North America. * January 6 – The Washington National Cathedral is chartered by Congress; th ...
, but was defeated in
1896 Events January * January 2 – The Jameson Raid comes to an end as Jameson surrenders to the Boers. * January 4 – Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. * January 5 – An Austrian newspaper reports Wilhelm Röntgen's dis ...
.


Community involvement

Button was interested in science, especially in chemistry and electricity. For 40 years from 1863, he gave lectures to the public and caused excitement in the early years when he demonstrated electric light. He was active in the
Presbyterian church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...
and was an elder in Hokitika and at
St Paul's St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...
in Christchurch. He led the Hokitika choir under Bishop Harper. In Auckland, he supported the local
YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organisation based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It has nearly 90,000 staff, some 920,000 volunteers and 12,000 branches w ...
.


Death

Button died on 27 December 1920; his last residence was in Prospect Terrace in
Mount Eden Mount Eden is a suburb in Auckland, New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Z ...
. He is buried at Waikaraka Cemetery in
Onehunga Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Onehunga is ...
. His wife had died in 1910. He was survived by a daughter and a son.


Notes


References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Button, Charles 1838 births 1920 deaths Mayors of Hokitika Mayors of places in the Auckland Region Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives High Court of New Zealand judges 19th-century New Zealand lawyers Members of the Westland County Council Burials at Waikaraka Cemetery New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates Unsuccessful candidates in the 1896 New Zealand general election 19th-century New Zealand politicians 20th-century New Zealand judges