David Buick (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = David Buick

|honorific-suffix = JP

|image = David Buick NZ.jpg

|imagesize =

|caption = David Buick in the 1890s

|constituency_MP2 = Palmerston

|parliament2 = New Zealand

|term_start2 = 1908

|term_end2 = 1918

|predecessor2 = William Wood

|successor2 = Jimmy Nash

|birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1848|4|29}}

|birth_place = Wellington

|death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1918|11|18|1848|4|29}}

|death_place =

|spouse =

|party = Reform Party

|religion =

|profession = Farmer, politician

}}

David Buick (29 April 1848 – 18 November 1918) was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party. A New Zealand-born sheep breeder, he represented farming interests in Parliament. He owned racing horses and won various high-profile races. He died in office in the 1918 influenza epidemic.

Early life

Buick was born in Wellington in 1848. His father, William Buick, had come to Wellington in 1841 on the Arab from England. Buick senior farmed in the Hutt Valley, with Buick junior taking over the farm in 1867.{{cite web|title=David Buick : Member of Parliament for Palmerston North 1908–1918 |url= http://www.parliament.nz/resource/0000103380 |publisher=New Zealand Parliament|accessdate=19 December 2011|format=PDF}} On 5 June 1876, he married Mary Ann (Polly{{cite web|title=Untitled|url=http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19729|publisher=Palmerston North City Council|accessdate=23 December 2011|archive-date=13 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140113150146/http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19729|url-status=dead}}) Buick (née Hill), daughter of I. M. Hill from Nelson.{{cite news|title=Marriages|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TC18760627.2.4|accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Colonist|volume=XVIII |issue=2093 |date=27 June 1876|page=2}}

In 1881, Buick junior bought land in the Manawatū's Kairanga Block. Living at a time when many New Zealanders were immigrants, Buick was proud of his birth in the colony and referred to it on occasions.

Political career

In 1885, he started making submissions to the Road Board over access issues. In 1887, he joined the Road Board and within months, he became its chairman. The Road Board ran into financial difficulties over a court case concerning stormwater run off, and ratepayers thus petitioned for the establishment of the Manawatu Land Drainage Board (MLDB), which was established in 1894. In December 1895, Buick became the MLDB's second chairman and held that position until 1898.

{{NZ parlbox

|start={{NZ election link year|1908}}

|end=1909

|term=17th

|electorate=Palmerston

|party=Independent politician

}}

{{NZ parlbox allegiance

|start=1909

|end=1911

|party=Reform Party (New Zealand)

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start={{NZ election link year|1911}}

|end=1914

|term=18th

|electorate=Palmerston

|party=Reform Party (New Zealand)

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start={{NZ election link year|1914}}

|end=1918

|term=19th

|electorate=Palmerston

|party=Reform Party (New Zealand)

}}

He first stood for Parliament in the {{NZ election link|1896}} against the incumbent Frederick Pirani in the Palmerston electorate (since 1938 called the Palmerston North electorate) and came within 50 votes of unseating him (1553 versus 1603 votes for Buick and Pirani, respectively). Pirani, who represented the Liberal Government, fell out with Premier Richard Seddon. In the {{NZ election link|1899}}, Pirani contested the Palmerston electorate as an Independent, whilst the Liberal Party put William Wood, who had been Mayor of Palmerston North since 1895, forward as their candidate. Buick, who contested the election as a conservative candidate, came a distant third.{{Cite web|url=http://www.pncc.govt.nz/About/History/Detail.aspx?id=2043|title=1890s|publisher=Palmerston North City Council|accessdate=20 December 2011|archive-date=9 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100109173013/http://www.pncc.govt.nz/About/History/Detail.aspx?id=2043|url-status=dead}}

The next election contested by Buick was the 1908 general election. William Wood had won the {{NZ election link year|1902}} and {{NZ election link year|1905}} elections, and Buick representing the opposition stood against the incumbent Liberal. The 1908 general election was held under the Second Ballot Act, contested by three candidates. Buick, Wood and William Milverton received 2675, 2626 and 123 votes, respectively. As Buick did not receive an absolute majority, a second ballot was required.{{cite news|title=Palmerston |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=WH19081118.2.36 |accessdate=14 December 2011|work=The Wanganui Herald|volume=XXXXIII |issue=12621 |date=18 November 1908|page=5}} Buick won the second ballot with a majority of 93 votes (2811 versus 2718 votes for Buick and Wood, respectively).

In 1909, the opposition started calling itself the Reform Party, and Buick contested the {{NZ election link|1911}} under that banner. The Liberal Party put Robert McNab forward. Milverton contested the electorate again, and William Thomson was the fourth candidate. Buick won just over half the votes (3374 of 6732 votes cast, with 3367 votes required to achieve an absolute majority) and a second ballot was thus not required.

The {{NZ election link|1914}} was again contested by four candidates. Buick stood again for the Reform Party. Jim Thorn represented the Social Democratic Party.{{DNZB|McAloon|Jim|4t15|Thorn, James – Biography|23 December 2011}} Hugh Crabb was the official candidate for the Liberal Party and the Mayor of Palmerston North, Jimmy Nash, was also a member of the Reform Party. Buick, Thorn, Crabb and Nash received 2739, 1686, 1476 and 1077 votes, respectively.{{cite news|title=North Island |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=HNS19141211.2.15.5 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Hawera & Normanby Star|date=11 December 1914|volume=LXVIII|page=4}}{{cite news |title=The Election Cup |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=MEX19141209.2.26 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Marlborough Express|volume=XLVIII |issue=286 |date=9 December 1914|page=7}} He represented the electorate until his death.{{cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |authorlink=Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |orig-date= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |page=98}}

His political interests centred on farming issues. Buick had a conservative outlook, but rejected that label. During the war, he was a stern critic of conscientious objectors.

Life outside politics and death

Buick was a successful breeder of Romney Marsh sheep.{{cite news|title=Death of Mr Buick, M.P. |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=PBH19181119.2.35 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Poverty Bay Herald|volume=XLV |issue=14765 |date=19 November 1918|page=5}} Buick bred race horses and they won several high-profile races, which certainly helped his political career.{{cite news|title=The Late Mr. D. Buick, M.P. |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19181120.2.29 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=The Evening Post|volume=XCVI |issue=123 |date=20 November 1918|page=4}} He played a fundamental role in establishing the freezing works in Longburn.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19181119.2.31 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=The Evening Post|volume=XCVI |issue=122 |date=19 November 1918|page=6}} For some time, he was the president of the Manawatu Caledonian Society.

Buick's wife died on 1 August 1917.{{cite news|title=Personal |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=FS19170801.2.15 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Feilding Star|volume=XIII |issue=3307 |date=1 August 1917|page=2}} Buick had a serious case of influenza in April 1918.{{cite news|title=Personal|url=http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=FS19180429.2.10|accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Feilding Star|volume=XIV |issue=35190 |date=29 April 1918|page=2}} He died in Wellington on 18 November 1918 during the height of the influenza epidemic of 1918. A fellow MP, Alfred Hindmarsh, had died of influenza only five days before him. After Buick's death, the Prime Minister, William Massey, adjourned the House of Representatives as 18 other members were also ill.{{cite news|title=Adjourned for a week |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=MEX19181120.2.16.1 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Marlborough Express|volume=LII |issue=285 |date=20 November 1918|page=4}} Buick was buried in Palmerston North at the Terrace End Cemetery,{{cite web|title=Untitled|url=http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19730|publisher=Palmerston North City Council|accessdate=23 December 2011|archive-date=7 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407000803/http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19730|url-status=dead}} survived by his six children.{{cite news |title=Obituary |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=FS19181119.2.21 |accessdate=23 December 2011|work=Feilding Star|volume=XIV |issue=3636 |date=19 November 1918|page=2}} His parents, William Buick (d. 1880) and Agnes Buick (d. 1897), are buried in the same family plot as David Buick and his wife.{{cite web|title=Untitled|url=http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19733|publisher=Palmerston North City Council|accessdate=23 December 2011|archive-date=7 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407000822/http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19733|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|title=Untitled|url=http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19732|publisher=Palmerston North City Council|accessdate=23 December 2011|archive-date=7 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120407000838/http://www.pncc.govt.nz/ServicesAndFacilities/OnlineServices/CemeteryAndCremationDetail.aspx?id=19732|url-status=dead}}

References

{{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Palmerston | years=1908–1918}}

Category:1848 births

Category:1918 deaths

Category:Deaths from the Spanish flu pandemic

Category:Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs

Category:20th-century New Zealand farmers

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1896 New Zealand general election

Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1899 New Zealand general election

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates

Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians

Category:Burials at Terrace End Cemetery