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Robert William Dyer

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Robert William Dyer
Robert William Dyer in 1901
14th Mayor of Hamilton
In office
May 1901 – May 1903
Preceded byGeorge Edgecumbe
Succeeded byCharles Barton
Personal details
Born1859
Mahurangi
Died3 August 1939 (age 79-80)
Napier
Spouse
Elizabeth Augusta Minnitt
(m. 1885)
Occupationsolicitor

Robert William Dyer (1859-1939) was a solicitor, judge and the mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand from 1901 to 1903.

Professional life

Robert was articled to E. A. Mackechnie, a leading Auckland solicitor, and admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court at the unusually early age of age of 21[1] in 1881.[2][3] He became a leading Auckland solicitor before moving to the Waikato, to enter into partnership with Sir Frederick Whitaker, of Hamilton,[1] managing the Kihikihi and then the Cambridge branch of the business, before moving to Hamilton in 1889,[4] when Sir Frederick's health was failing. He became registrar of deeds in Invercargill in 1903,[4] then in 1905, a stipendiary magistrate in Auckland,[5] then Rotorua and, about 1918, in Hawke's Bay. After nine years he retired to Napier.[1]

As stipendiary magistrate at Whakatāne, he gave evidence in the lengthy case against Rua Kenana Hepetipa in 1916.[6]

Personal life

Robert was born in Mahurangi, the son of Robert Coates Dyer, at that time a farmer, who subsequently became a member of Auckland Provincial Council and later a teacher at the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell, and then headmaster at Cambridge District High School.[7] Robert went to his father's Parnell school and to St. John's College, Tamaki.[1]

On June 23, 1885, at St Paul's Church, Auckland Robert was married to Elizabeth Augusta Minnitt, eldest daughter of Major Charles Goring Minnitt,[8] late of the Waikato Militia,[9] which he commanded at Kihikihi.[4] She was a granddaughter of Sir Frederick Whitaker.[10]

He was survived by three sons and two daughters.[1]

  • Elizabeth Caroline Dyer 1886–1967
  • Eileen Dyer 1887–1969
  • Robert William Dyer 1889–1962[11] Robert William was wounded during the war in 1915[12] and married in 1918.[13]
  • Guy Musgrave Dyer 1891–1971
  • Humphrey Goring Dyer 1896–1977[11]

He died on 5 August 1939 at his home on Lighthouse Road in Napier, aged 81.[14] His wife died in 1953[11]

Public life

Robert was elected to Hamilton Borough Council in 1899[15] and was Mayor of Hamilton from 8 May 1901[16] until 13 May 1903,[1] He had lost mayoral elections in 1898[17] and 1899,[18] but was elected unopposed in 1901[19] and 1902.[20] In summing up his 3½ years on the council, he said the streets were in better order, but regretted making no progress with a replacement of the Union Bridge and not completing the water supply scheme. Money had been spent on a dinner for the prime minister,[21] possibly a reason for his obituary describing him as an ardent supporter of Richard Seddon.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "OBITUARY. WAIKATO TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 4 August 1939. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  2. ^ "LAW AND POLICE. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 17 March 1881. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Hamilton". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. 1902. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "Pars ABOUT PEOPLE. OBSERVER". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 December 1903. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  5. ^ "LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 28 March 1905. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  6. ^ "RUA'S TRIAL. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 19 July 1916. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  7. ^ "THE LATE MR DYER. WAIKATO INDEPENDENT". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 3 August 1912. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ "Marriages. AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 June 1885. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  9. ^ "DEATH OF MAJOR MINNITT. WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 29 June 1900. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  10. ^ "AUCKLAND STAR". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 26 June 1885. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  11. ^ a b c "FamilySearch.org". ancestors.familysearch.org. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  12. ^ "ROLL OF HONOUR. NEW ZEALAND TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 June 1915. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  13. ^ "EVERY LADY'S JOURNAL. GISBORNE TIMES". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 31 August 1918. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  14. ^ "DEATHS. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 7 August 1939. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  15. ^ "WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 September 1899. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  16. ^ "MAYORAL INSTALLATIONS. WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 9 May 1901. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  17. ^ "WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 1 December 1898. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  18. ^ "WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 2 December 1899. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  19. ^ "WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 16 April 1901. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  20. ^ "WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 22 April 1902. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
  21. ^ "HAMILTON BOROUGH COUNCIL. WAIKATO ARGUS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. 14 May 1903. Retrieved 15 June 2021.