William Richmond
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Christopher William Richmond (1821 - 1895), generally called William Richmond, was a 19th century New Zealand politician. He held a number of Cabinet positions between 1856 and 1861.
Richmond was probably born in London on 12 July 1821. His father, Christopher Richmond, died when William Richmond was only ten years old, leaving William in the sole care of Maria (Lely) Wilson, his mother. He was raised in the Unitarian faith, and attended Unitarian schools. His health was always delicate, and he suffered from severe asthma throughout his life. From 1841 to 1843, he was in France, but in 1844, he began working in various law offices. He also developed a strong friendship with Richard Holt Hutton, a writer and theologian who influenced his views considerably.
Richmond became a practicing lawyer in 1847, but business was poor. James Crowe Richmond and Henry Robert Richmond, his two younger brothers, sought better fortunes in New Plymouth, New Zealand, in 1850, and William Richmond considered joining them. On 15 September 1852, Richmond married Emily Elizabeth Atkinson, described by Joseph Hutton (father of Richmond's friend Richard Holt Hutton) as "a remarkable woman of singular intellectual power, moral earnestness and charming spontaneity of character". Shortly after their marriage, the two set out for New Zealand, being joined by Harry Atkinson (a relative of Emily who would later become Premier).
In New Plymouth, Richmond re-established his law practice, and soon became a prominent member of the local community. On 5 November 1855, he was elected to represent the Town of New Plymouth electorate in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament. When Edward Stafford formed a government on 2 June 1856, Richmond accepted an invitation to become Colonial Secretary (forerunner to the modern Minister of Internal Affairs). When Henry Sewell resigned, Richmond also became Colonial Treasurer (forerunner to the modern Minister of Finance), although Sewell briefly resumed this post for two months in 1859. On 27 August 1858, he became New Zealand's first Minister for Native Affairs, but lost this post to Frederick Weld in late 1860. He also served as Commissioner of Customs.
Politically, Richmond aligned himself with the centralist faction, believing that the power of the provinces needed to be curtailed. Richmond also believed in the need to "reform" Māori institutions and culture, being particularly adamant about the need to eliminate the "beastly communism" of common land ownership. Richmond generally had a very low opinion of Māori, considering them to be savages.
After the Stafford government fell, Richmond did not remain in Parliament for long. After resigning, he established a law practice in Dunedin with Thomas Gillies, a fellow MP. He was soon appointed to a post as a senior judge, a role which he seemed to enjoy more than his former political career. In 1865, he turned down an invitation by Stafford to return to politics, despite a suggestion that he could become Premier. Towards the end of his life, Richmond became increasingly conservative, condemning the Liberal Party's proposals for women's suffrage, a land tax, and an income tax.
Richmond died in Wellington on 3 August 1895.
