William Hughes Field

William Hughes Field (18611944) was a Member of Parliament in New Zealand; first for the Liberal Party, then Independent and then for the Reform Party.

Private life

Born in Wanganui, Field was a lawyer. Tom Field, MHR for Nelson (1914–1919), was a relative of brothers, William Hughes Field and Henry Augustus Field.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1900–1902 14th Otaki Liberal
1902–1905 15th Otaki Liberal
1905–1908 16th Otaki Liberal
1908–1909 17th Otaki Independent
1909–1911 Changed allegiance to: Reform
1914–1919 19th Otaki Reform
1919–1922 20th Otaki Reform
1922–1925 21st Otaki Reform
1925–1928 22nd Otaki Reform
1928–1931 23rd Otaki Reform
1931–1935 24th Otaki Reform

William Field won the Otaki seat in the Horowhenua District in 1900, but lost it to John Robertson of the Social Democratic Party (who had been nominated by the flax-workers union) by 21 votes on the second ballot in 1911. He then won it back in 1914, and held it until he retired in 1935.

He replaced his brother, Henry Augustus Field, when he died in 1899 (Hamer, p. 339). William Field stood as a Liberal in 1900 and was regarded as a 'country liberal' (Hamer, p. 260) or 'freehold liberal' (Hamer, p. 334) and therefore it is not surprising that he moved politically to support the Reform Party over time.

References