John Hall (New Zealand politician)

Sir John Hall ( born December 18, 1824 in Kingston upon Hull, England, † June 25, 1907 in Christchurch ) was New Zealand politician and Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Hall grew up in England. After he had read a book on sheep breeding, he emigrated to New Zealand, where he arrived on 31 July 1852 the Samarang. He built one of the first large sheep farms in Canterbury.

In 1853 he was elected to the Provincial Council of Canterbury. He later rose to the ranks over a Council member for the Town Council Chairman ( de facto mayor) and Postmaster General. He came as a member of the constituency Heathcote in Christchurch from Parliament.

Prime minister

On 8 October 1879, he was appointed the 12th Prime Minister of New Zealand and sparked George Grey from the office. His cabinet extended the suffrage for men. He played a morally questionable role through its support of the government in the conflict with the Māori in Parihaka, which led to the occupation of large areas of Māori and the expulsion and detention of numerous people. Due to poor health he resigned on April 21, 1882 back from the office. He was succeeded by Frederick Whitaker.

In 1906 he was Mayor of Christchurch, where he died in 1907.

Women's suffrage

Hall had, in contrast to his otherwise conservative political views active interest in women's rights. In the last years of his life he brought the bill to the Parliament in 1893 that caused the first country to New Zealand introduced women's suffrage world.