Edward George Wright (14 June 1831 – 12 August 1902) was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Biography

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1879–1881 7th Coleridge Independent
1881–1884 8th Ashburton Independent
1890–1893 11th Ashburton Independent
1896–1899 13th Ashburton Independent

Wright was born in Woolwich, Kent, England, in 1831. After an education in private schools, he worked for Fox, Henderson and Co. He was the engineer for the gasworks in Rome and then worked on the naval dockyards at Royal Arsenal in Woolwich and then Aldershot. He married in September 1854 at London and went to New Zealand with his wife and their first two sons in 1857, with another one born in their chosen country.[1]

In Canterbury, he was responsible for many of the engineering works, especially bridges.[1]

He represented the Coleridge electorate from 1879 to 1881, then the Ashburton electorate from 1881 to 16 May 1884, when he resigned.[2] He unsuccessfully contested the 1885 by-election for Wakanui. In the 1887 election, he contested the Avon electorate, but was defeated by Edwin Blake.[3]

He was successful again in the 1890 election in the Ashburton electorate. In the 1893 election, he was defeated in the Rangitata electorate. He was once again successful in the 1896 election in the Ashburton electorate. He retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1899.[2]

Wright was chairman of the Lyttelton Harbour Board for four periods.[1]

Wright died at his homestead Windermere, after which a locality between Hinds and Winslow is named, on 12 August 1902.[1] He was survived by his wife and five children.[4] He was buried at Windermere Church.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Lawrence, Morag and Peter. "Wright, Edward George". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 22 April 2012.
  2. 1 2 Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 247. OCLC 154283103.
  3. ↑ "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  4. ↑ "Edward George Wright". The Star. No. 7478. 12 August 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  5. ↑ "The Late Mr. E. G. Wright". The Press. Vol. LIX, no. 11352. 15 August 1902. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
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