Charles Button
{{Short description|New Zealand politician, solicitor, judge (1838–1920)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2014}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2014}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|honorific-prefix =
|name = Charles Button
|honorific-suffix =
|image = Charles Button (NZETC).jpg
|alt =
|caption = Charles Button in circa 1890s
|constituency_MP = Hokitika
|parliament = New Zealand
|majority =
|term_start = 14 January 1876
|term_end = 22 May 1878
|predecessor = John White
|successor = Seymour Thorne George
|constituency_MP2 = City of Auckland
|parliament2 = New Zealand
|majority2 =
|term_start2 = 28 November 1893
|term_end2 = 14 November 1896
|predecessor2 = Alfred Cadman, John Shera, Thomas Thompson
|successor2 = James Job Holland, William Crowther, Thomas Thompson
|order3 = 4th
|office3 = Mayor of Hokitika
|term_start3 = 1869
|term_end3 = 1870
|predecessor3 = Evan Prosser
|successor3 = Samuel Boyle
|order4 = 1st Mayor of Birkenhead
|term_start4 = 1888
|term_end4 = 1901
|predecessor4 = new role
|successor4 = Joseph Witheford
|birth_date = 23 August 1838
|birth_place = Launceston, Van Diemen's Land
|death_date = {{death date and age|1920|12|27|1838|8|23|df=y}}
|death_place = Prospect Terrace, Mount Eden, New Zealand
|restingplace = Waikaraka Cemetery Onehunga
|restingplacecoordinates = Plot Location Area 1 Block G Plot 67A, Onehunga
|nationality = Australian
|spouse = Louisa Button
|relations =
|children = two
|residence =
|alma_mater =
|occupation = Solicitor
|profession = Solicitor
Judge
|cabinet =
|committees =
|portfolio =
|signature =
|signature_alt =
}}
Charles Edward Button (23 August 1838 – 27 December 1920) was a solicitor, Supreme Court judge, Mayor of Hokitika and later Birkenhead, 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; this was the only election defeat ever suffered by Seddon.
Early life
Button was born in Launceston, Tasmania, in 1838, the seventh son of Thomas Button.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19201228.2.73 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=Auckland Star |volume=LI |issue=309 |date=28 December 1920 |page=5}} His father was a member of the first municipal council in Launceston, and his uncle William Stammers Button was the first Mayor of Launceston. He received his education at Hobart High School and was then trained as a solicitor at Douglas, Dawes and Miller in Launceston.{{cite book |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Auckland Provincial District |year=1902 |url= https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc02Cycl-t1-body1-d1-d10-d43.html#name-134527-mention |publisher=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand |author=Cyclopedia Company Limited |accessdate= 13 March 2012 |location=Christchurch |chapter=Mr. Charles Edward Button}} 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, New Zealand, in 1863, where he continued to work in law.{{cite web|title=New Zealand's Lost Cases |url= http://www.victoria.ac.nz/law/nzlostcases/CaseDetails.aspx?casenumber=01191 |publisher=Victoria University |accessdate=11 March 2012}} In 1865, he moved to Hokitika, and became a specialist in mining law. He practised with Walter Reid, who later became New Zealand's first Solicitor-General.
He moved to Christchurch in 1880 and had his office in Gloucester Street. Early in 1881, he moved into the offices of Henry Wynn-Williams in Hereford Street.{{cite news|title=Notice of Removal|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18810216.2.2.5 |accessdate=12 March 2012|work=The Press|volume=XXXV |issue=4847 |date=16 February 1881|page=1}} He left Christchurch late in 1883 and moved to Auckland.{{cite news|title=Meetings, &c. |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18830827.2.2.8 |accessdate=12 March 2012|work=The Press |volume=XXXIX |issue=5597 |date=27 August 1883|page=1}} 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. This was a temporary replacement for another judge who was overseas, and he retired after one or two years of service.{{cite news |title=Mr. C.E. Button Dead |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19201229.2.88 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=LVII |issue=17665 |date=29 December 1920 |page=6}}
Political career
{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}}
{{NZ parlbox
|start = 1876
|end = 1878
|term = 6th
|electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Hokitika}}
|party = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox break}}
{{NZ parlbox
|start = {{NZ election link year|1893}}
|end = 1896
|term = 12th
|electorate = City of Auckland
|party = Independent politician
}}
{{NZ parlbox footer}}
Button first stood for Parliament 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.{{cite news |title=Election for Westland South |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WCT18680331.2.12 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=West Coast Times |date=31 March 1868|issue=786 |page=2}} Barff was subsequently elected the following week.{{cite news |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WI18680404.2.13 |work=Wellington Independent |page=4 |volume= XXII |issue= 2657 |date= 4 April 1868 |accessdate=3 May 2013|title=Local and General News}}{{cite news |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WCT18680519.2.12 |work=West Coast Times |page=2 |date= 19 May 1868|issue=828 |accessdate=3 May 2013|title=(Westland South results)}}
Button was elected in the Hokitika electorate for the Westland County for five months in 1869, and the Totara electorate in 1870–1872.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=242}} He was chosen as the fourth Mayor of Hokitika in 1868–1869.{{cite book |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts |year=1906 |url= https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc05Cycl-t1-body1-d3-d7-d4.html |publisher=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand |author=Cyclopedia Company Limited |accessdate= 13 March 2012 |location=Christchurch |chapter=Mr. Charles Edward Button}}
He contested the two-member Hokitika electorate in 1876 with Barff, Richard Seddon, Robert Reid and Conrad Hoos. Button had known Seddon professionally, as they were both lawyers and often argued cases as opponents.{{cite news |title=Official Declaration on the Poll at Hokitika |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WEST18760128.2.24 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=Westport Times |volume=X |issue=1349 |date=28 January 1876 |page=4}} 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. When Hokitika electorate constituents passed a resolution in 1878 that thanked Button but expressed regret that he did not support Sir George Grey, Button handed in his resignation.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=99}} The resulting by-election was won by Seymour Thorne George.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=108}}
When Birkenhead Borough Council was formed in 1888, Button was elected unopposed as the borough's first mayor on 9 May.{{cite news |title=Untitled |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH18880510.2.18 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=XXV |issue=9050 |date=10 May 1888 |page=4}} He remained the borough's mayor for 12 years until he resigned in January 1901; he was succeeded by Joseph Witheford.{{cite news |title=Local and General News |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19010124.2.19 |accessdate=4 May 2013 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=XXXVIII |issue=11559 |date=24 January 1901 |page=4}}
He was elected to the multi-member City of Auckland electorate in 1893, but was defeated in 1896.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=99}}
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 and was an elder in Hokitika and at St Paul's in Christchurch. He led the Hokitika choir under Bishop Harper. In Auckland, he supported the local YMCA.
Death
Button died on 27 December 1920; his last residence was in Prospect Terrace in Mount Eden.{{cite news |title=Death of Ex-Judge Button |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19201229.2.23 |accessdate=12 March 2012|work=The Evening Post |volume=C |issue=155 |date=29 December 1920 |page=3}} He is buried at Waikaraka Cemetery in Onehunga. His wife had died in 1910.{{cite news |title=Personal |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC19100226.2.15 |accessdate=3 May 2013 |work=Colonist |volume=LII |issue=12729 |date=26 February 1910 |page=2}} He was survived by a daughter and a son.
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{Cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |author-link= Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |origyear= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-par | nz}}
{{s-bef | before = John White}}
{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Hokitika | years=1876–1878 |alongside = Edmund Barff}}
{{s-aft | after=Seymour Thorne George }}
{{end}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Button, Charles}}
Category:Mayors of places in the Auckland Region
Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Category:High Court of New Zealand judges
Category:19th-century New Zealand lawyers
Category:Members of the Westland County Council
Category:Burials at Waikaraka Cemetery
Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates
Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1896 New Zealand general election