BRADSHAW, JAMES BENN BRADSHAIGH (1831-86), one of New Zealand's earliest labour reformers, was the son of General Joseph Bradshaw, H.E.I.C.S., and was born at Barton Blount, Lancashire. He was educated at Haileybury for the service of the East India Company, but a few months in India showed that his health would be unequal to the climate and he resigned and travelled widely in South America, in the islands of the Indian Ocean and in South Africa. He was a fine shot and horseman, a clever swordsman and a good all-round athlete. When the Kaffir war broke out in 1850 he received (through his friend Sir Harry Smith) first a post as agent for the War Office and then a commission in the field. He served until Sir Harry's recall in 1852 and then went to Isle of France and in 1855 to Victoria, attracted by the goldfields.

Bradshaw studied auriferous drifts scientifically and was early impressed with the future of quartz mining. He followed each new rush and had considerable fortune, especially at Eaglehawk and New Bendigo. At Castlemaine he opened an assay office which he eventually sold to the Union Bank, of which he became the local agent. At this time he took a great interest in the Otago fields and proposed to the Superintendent (Richardson) opening a government assay office which would raise the price of gold to the miners. This project he afterwards pressed without success upon Macandrew, Vogel and Moorhouse. Coming to Otago about 1864, he brought 3,000 oz of gold from the fields to Waikouaiti for shipment to Dunedin before the escort was established. Bradshaw followed the rush to Queenstown and settled there as editor of the Lake Wakatip Mail (1863-64). He stoutly advocated liberal land laws, including the cancellation of pastoral leases to make way for agricultural leases; higher prices for gold, with the reduction of duty and the abolition of all special taxes. In 1864 he contested the Provincial Council seat (against Mouat) without success; but early in 1866 he defeated Main and Manders for the Goldfields seat in Parliament. On 17 Apr 1867, owing to his outstanding knowledge of mining matters, the general government delegated to Bradshaw the special powers over goldfields which were normally exercised by the Superintendent (see MACANDREW). There was strong feeling in the province, and many demonstrations against the general government until the powers were transferred to the Otago executive (Dec 1870). In 1870 Bradshaw married Harriette Clementina, daughter of Capt. R. N. Bolton, 84th Regiment (of county Meath).

On the opening of the Thames fields Bradshaw made useful reports to the government on quartz-mining and he remained at Thames for some time engaged as a sharebroker, which business he continued after his return to Dunedin. From his close friendship with Richardson, he was inspired by information and advice to persevere in projects of labour reform. In 1870 he won the Waikaia parliamentary seat, and during that Parliament he obtained the passage of his employment of females act (1873) which restricted to eight hours a day the hours of labour for women. Next year he advised some amendments of the factory act, and in 1875 he got it enacted that no child under ten years of age should work in a factory and no boy or girl between 10 and 14 should work for more than four hours a day. He assisted materially in the achievement of the Saturday half-holiday.

In 1871 Bradshaw was elected to the Otago Provincial Council for Mount Benger, and he at once joined Reid's executive, of which he was a member until Reid joined the Stafford ministry (Sep 1872). Being wrongly held responsible for the Moa Flat sale, Bradshaw lost his seat at the elections in 1873. Standing for Wakatipu at the next parliamentary elections (1876) he was defeated by Manders, largely on account of his views on secular education. Though now out of Parliament, he continued his advocacy of liberal legislation, and as a member of the Otago waste lands board from 1878 he fought strenuously against dummying and received the warm thanks of a great labour meeting in Dunedin (1884). A few months later he was elected for Dunedin Central, defeating the sitting member (Bracken, q.v.). He died on 1 Sep 1886, leaving a widow and young family. His great humanitarian services were recognised by labour organisations throughout the colony. Bradshaw played cricket against the first All England team both in Victoria and in New Zealand.

Otago P.C. Proc.; Paul, Trades Unionism; Otago Daily Times, 2 Sep 1886; Otago Witness, 24 Dec 1886; Mt. Ida Chronicle, 23 Jan 1874. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 60

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