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Robert William Dyer

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New Zealand solicitor, judge, and mayor (1859–1939)

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 in 1881. He became a leading Auckland solicitor before moving to the Waikato, to enter into partnership with Sir Frederick Whitaker, of Hamilton, managing the Kihikihi and then the Cambridge branch of the business, before moving to Hamilton in 1889, when Sir Frederick's health was failing. He became registrar of deeds in Invercargill in 1903, then in 1905, a stipendiary magistrate in Auckland, then Rotorua and, about 1918, in Hawke's Bay. After nine years he retired to Napier.

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

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. Robert went to his father's Parnell school and to St. John's College, Tamaki.

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

He was survived by three sons and two daughters.

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

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

Public life

Robert was elected to Hamilton Borough Council in 1899 and was Mayor of Hamilton from 8 May 1901 until 13 May 1903, He had lost mayoral elections in 1898 and 1899, but was elected unopposed in 1901 and 1902. 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, possibly a reason for his obituary describing him as an ardent supporter of Richard Seddon.

References

  1. ^ "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. ^ "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. ^ "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.
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