George Macfarlan (1837/1838 – 9 October 1868) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament representing the Lyttelton electorate.

Professional career

Macfarlan was the only son of the Rev. George Macfarlan of Gainford, County Durham. He was educated at Shrewsbury School before attending Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained a "very high degree", passing his final exams in 1860 as fourteenth wrangler. He moved to London to qualify as a lawyer, and was called to the bar by the Honourable Society of the Inner Temple in June 1863. Macfarlan came out to

Canterbury, New Zealand Canterbury () is a Regions of New Zealand, region of New Zealand, located in the central-eastern South Island. The region covers an area of , making it the largest region in the country by area. It is home to a population of The region in it ...

in January 1864. He was in partnership with William Sefton Moorhouse, prior to Moorhouse being elected Superintendent for the Canterbury Provincial Council in May 1866 for the second time, with their office located in Cathedral Square. After that, he was a solicitor with Macfarlan and Nottidge, also located in the central town square. He was an occasional contributor to the '' Lyttelton Times''.

Political career

Macfarlan was elected in a 1 July 1867 by-election following the resignation of

Edward Hargreaves Edward Allan Hargreaves (5 January 1826 – 9 March 1880) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand. Hargreaves was born in Liverpool in 1826. He came to New Zealand on the ''Theresa'', which left England in November ...

. He represented the electorate for just over one year until his death.

Death

He died at the Wellington Club in

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

from a fever at the young age of 30 years. He was buried at the Bolton Street Cemetery in Wellington. His funeral was attended by about 30 Members of both Houses of Parliament. His grave, together with a large area of the Bolton Street Cemetery, was removed in the late 1960s / early 1970s to make way for the Wellington Urban Motorway. Macfarlan was not married.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Macfarlan, George 1830s births 1868 deaths Alumni of Trinity College, Cambridge Members of the Inner Temple Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives People educated at Shrewsbury School Politicians from Christchurch New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates People from Gainford, County Durham Burials at Bolton Street Cemetery 19th-century New Zealand politicians