BORLASE, CHARLES BONYTHON (1820-75) came of a West country family which lived not far from the Molesworth. He was born in India, the son of Lieut.-Colonel Borlase, of a Dragoon regiment, and taken home to be educated. He studied law, and was for a while connected with the press in London as law reporter, until obtaining a partnership in a legal firm in the city. His acquaintance with the Molesworths led to an interest in New Zealand, and in 1850 he sailed with his wife and family in the Victory.

Having some little capital Borlase invested it in land in Wairarapa, but spent two years in Wellington before going on it. During the eight years that he spent on his bush-clad country he was drawn into politics. In 1857-58 he sat in the Provincial Council for Wairarapa. During that time the feud between Featherston and Wakefield culminated in Wakefield's enjoying a substantial majority in the Council, but he could not take office without a qualified solicitor as provincial solicitor. Featherston refused to accept an executive in which Wakefield held the two posts of secretary and solicitor. Wakefield therefore prevailed on Borlase to stand for a city seat. He was duly elected and he represented the City (1861-75), being provincial solicitor for part of the time. He was in the executive (1866-68).

Borlase brought his family to Wellington in the early sixties. He was a member of the first Wellington town board (1863) and some years later (1870-74) a member of the first City Council under the new act. He resigned in 1874, and was elected mayor. In 1865 he contested the Superintendency against Featherston, who defeated him by 229 votes. In the following year he stood side by side with Featherston for the City seats in the House of Representatives: Featherston, Borlase, and Waring Taylor being returned. At the general election of 1871 he was unseated. He does not appear again in colonial politics, but was provincial solicitor until his death (on 15 May 1875).

Wellington P.C. Proc.; Ward; Carter; Cycl. N.Z., i; Evening Post, 16 May 1875, 26 Sep 1929 (P).

Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 55

🌳 Further sources