BUTTON, CHARLES EDWARD (1838-1920) was born in Launceston, the seventh son of a settler of 1833 who was a member of the first Hobart municipal council. Educated at the Launceston Grammar School and the High School at Hobart, he was articled to a firm of solicitors in Launceston, admitted to the bar in 1861 and practised for a short time in his native town.

In 1863 he came to New Zealand and started practice at Invercargill. Two years later he entered into partnership at Hokitika with W. S. Reid (q.v.), and he was soon regarded as one of the leading authorities on mining law. In his practice in the wardens' courts he became a close friend, though a professional opponent, of Seddon (q.v.), then a prominent miners' advocate. Button was for a few months a member of the Westland county council for Hokitika and for two years represented Totara (1870-72). He was mayor of Hokitika in 1869. In 1876 Button was elected one of the members of Parliament for Hokitika. He resigned in 1878 because he could not support Grey, as his constituency desired. In 1880 he removed to Christchurch, where he practised for two years, and in 1882 he joined the Auckland firm of Whitaker and Russell. In 1893 Button was elected to Parliament for the City of Auckland, but he was defeated in 1896. He was the first mayor of the borough of Birkenhead (1888) and held office for twelve years. In 1907 he was appointed temporary judge of the supreme court, in which capacity he acted for about a year.

Button was keenly interested in science, and over a period of 40 years lectured frequently on such subjects as voltaic electricity (1863) and chemistry. He was a staunch adherent of the Congregational Church, in which he filled many offices, and was also an elder of the Presbyterian Church at Hokitika and Christchurch. In Auckland he strongly supported the Y.M.C.A.

He married in 1862 a daughter of Henry Cowell, of Cullenswood, Tasmania. He died on 27 Dec 1920.

N.Z.P.D., 1876-78, 1893-96; Harrop, Westland; Cycl. N.Z., ii (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 80

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