John Miles Verrall (1849 – 17 September 1921), also known as John Miles Verrell, was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand. In his later years, he was known throughout the country as an advocate for a state bank.[1]
Early life
editVerrall was born in Lewes, Sussex, England, in 1849. He was a tenant farmer in his home country.[2] He married Louisa Waters Aylwin, the daughter of John Aylwin, of Plumpton, Sussex.[2][3] They emigrated to Queensland, Australia, in 1880, where he ran a cattle station with a partner. After a few years, he left his partner in charge of the cattle station and emigrated to New Zealand.[2]
New Zealand
edit| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1888–1890 | 10th | Ashley | Independent | ||
Verrall first settled in Ohoka, where he bought some land. In 1893, he sold up and moved to the nearby Swannanoa.[2] During his time in Swannanoa, he advertised as a photographer using the surname Verrell.[4]
Verrall first stood for election to the House of Representatives in the 1887 election in the Ashley electorate. Of the three candidates, he came last.[5] The successful candidate, William Fisher Pearson, died the following year, and this caused an 1888 by-election. Verrall was one of three candidates, and the result was very tight: he defeated Alfred Saunders by just two votes, and Marmaduke Dixon[6] was only nine votes behind him.[7] He represented the Ashley electorate to the end of the parliamentary term in 1890, when he retired.[8]
He contested the 1899 election in the Kaiapoi electorate, but his candidacy was not taken seriously.[9] As he did not even poll 10% of the vote, he lost his £10 deposit.[10]
He died at his homestead in Swannanoa on 17 September 1921.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Obituary". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LVIII, no. 17890. 19 September 1921. p. 6. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda (PDF). Vol. II. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
- ^ Evans, Beverley. "Verrall - BMD". homepages.ihug.co.nz/~ashleigh/. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "John Miles Verrall". Early Canterbury Photography. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
- ^ "Marmaduke Dixon – 1828–1895". Waimakariri Libraries. Archived from the original on 28 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "Ashley Election". The Press. Vol. XLV, no. 7132. 31 July 1888. p. 5. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 242. OCLC 154283103.
- ^ "Kaiapoi". The Press. Vol. LVI, no. 10522. 7 December 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ "The Results". The Press. Vol. LVI, no. 10523. 8 December 1899. p. 5. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
External links
edit- Bio on early New Zealand photographers website