POLLEN, DANIEL (1813-96) was born at Kingsend, Dublin, Ireland, on 2 Jun 1813, the son of Hugh Pollen (d. 1835) and his wife Elizabeth O'Neill. Pollen's early life is shrouded in obscurity. He is believed to have attended school in Dublin, and may have spent some years in the United States, where his father was engaged in the building of the Capitol (finished in 1827). He studied medicine, and appears to have graduated M.D. He is believed to have come to New South Wales in the late thirties, and is said to have crossed to North Auckland in a privately chartered schooner late in 1839 or in Jan 1840. He signed as 'D. Pollen, M.D.' the address of welcome from the white residents of Kororareka to Captain Hobson (1 Feb 1840). He witnessed the proceedings at the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and on 17 Feb was elected a member of the provisional committee of the New Zealand Banking Co. at Kororareka.

Pollen is stated to have spent a year or two in medical practice in Sydney, either before coming to Bay of Islands, or after Feb 1840. In Sep 1841 he bought a small farm (7 acres) at the land sale in Auckland, and with J.F. Hoggard (q.v.) a town section in Auckland. They were in business together for a while, Pollen living in Parnell and practising medicine. In 1844 he was appointed coroner (holding office till 1848). On 18 May 1846 he married Jane Henderson, daughter of Lieutenant Essex, R.N., of Demerara, and in the following year he accepted the post of medical officer of the Scots company which was mining copper at Kawau. There Pollen spent several years. He took a great interest in various societies and institutions for the benefit of the workers on the island, Maori and European, and presided at meetings of the Total Abstinence Society, the scientific association and the library. He engaged also in journalism, and in contributions to the New Zealander showed himself an accomplished controversialist, notably on the burning question of the late forties - self-government. He is said to have edited this paper for a while.

When the constitution was brought into operation (1853) Pollen was appointed (Feb 1854) chief clerk in the Superintendent's office, and shortly after the establishment of the Provincial Council he was appointed to the executive (14 Mar 1854), in which he held office under the superintendencies of Wynyard, Williamson and Whitaker. He was, however, unable to get himself elected at the first polls in 1853 either to the Provincial Council or to Parliament. Late in 1856, however, he was elected a member of the Provincial Council, in which he represented Auckland Suburbs (Dec 1856-Feb 1857, and Nov 1857-Sep 1861) and Auckland East (Mar 1862-Sep 1865). He twice acted as deputy for the Superintendent (in 1862 for Williamson, and in 1866 for Whitaker). Pollen sought official employment, and in Aug 1858 was appointed commissioner of crown lands for Auckland, a post which he held until Mar 1862. In those days he evinced a strong sympathy for the Maori, whose cause he championed in the New Zealander.

In 1861 Pollen was called to the Legislative Council, in which he represented the Fox ministry (without portfolio) until Aug 1862. For some years (to 1863) he was a member of the public domains board. He was appointed receiver of land revenue at Auckland (1866) and in 1867 resigned from the Council to become agent for the General Government at Auckland. In Jun 1868 he was again called to the Council (by Stafford) and for the next twelve months he was the Government representative in that chamber (without portfolio). He was a candidate for the superintendency of Auckland in 1869, but withdrew after a hostile meeting at Thames. By holding the post of agent for the General Government in 1870 he was disqualified for continuing as a member of the Legislative Council, which he accordingly resigned. In Jan 1870 he was censured by the Fox Government for approving a tentative offer made by J. C. Firth (q.v.) to Te Kooti not to renew the campaign, but at the request of the Government he withdrew his resignation. He was now receiver of land revenue, commissioner of confiscated lands, commissioner under the native land act 1870, and immigration officer. When Vogel came into office in 1873 he recalled Pollen to the Council and the executive, and two months later Pollen first became Colonial Secretary. He remained in office until being called upon himself to reconstruct the ministry in 1875. In Feb 1876 his government gave way again to Vogel, but he continued a member of the 'Continuous Ministry,' administering the department of Colonial Secretary under Vogel and Atkinson until Oct 1877. Thereafter he enjoyed a Government pension until his death on 18 May 1896, sitting all the time as a member of the Legislative Council.

'A man of high culture and genial temperament, Pollen spoke with warmth but never discourtesy. His mind was large and logical, and he had great political foresight. In the Legislative Council he was a ready and polished debater; though never quite free from official restrictions he was always straightforward and outspoken. He remarked on one occasion: 'I have, I am happy to say, no constituents, and when I talk I address myself to this Council.' Pollen had a shrewd insight into human nature, a kindly and humorous approach in debate, and a pungent and persuasive style. He had a faculty for quick decisions and accurate perception without any political bias, and had a remarkable knowledge of detail and legislation. As agent in Auckland he showed great vigour and ability. As an administrator he was eminently safe and trustworthy, with a distinctly Tory belief that what was best administered was best. He supported the women's franchise league. As a business man Pollen had considerable success. The brickworks at Avondale were established by him in the seventies, and he received a medal at the Dunedin Exhibition (1865) for his zealous efforts to foster the manufacture of pottery. He was chairman of the East Coast Native Land Settlement Co.

His eldest son, HUGH POLLEN (1851-1912), was clerk to the agent for the General Government in 1871; entered the Colonial Secretary's office as an extra clerk; became chief clerk (1879), and Under-secretary (1892). He died on 11 Jan 1912.

Auckland P.C. Proc.; N.Z. Gaz.; N.Z.P.D., pass (notably 11 Jun 1896); information from family and Rev E. C. Good, Avondale; Rusden; Saunders (p); Gisborne (p); Evening Post, 19 May 1896; 'Mercutio' in N.Z. Herald, 11 May 1889; N.Z. Herald, 19 May 1896.

Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 89

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