MUNRO, JOHN (?-1879) was born in Scotland. In 1818 he emigrated to Pictou, Nova Scotia, in the Perseverance, and for a few years kept a school at Sandy Cove, near Caribou. In 1825, in partnership with Feris, he started in business at the Bar, loading several large vessels each year with timber and Canadian produce for Glasgow, Aberdeen and Greenock. They also built their own ships for the fishing industry, and owned two grist mills.

Munro was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia for the county of Victoria (1851-56). His defeat by his old opponent in May 1856 clinched his decision to come to New Zealand, following the Scots emigration to Adelaide and New Zealand. He sailed in his own ship, the Gertrude, 250 tons (Jun 1856). At the Cape they negotiated with Governor Grey for land on which to settle should the New Zealand voyage prove fruitless. Reaching Auckland in Dec, Munro interviewed Governor Gore Browne, but could not come to terms for land for a special settlement, and was referred to the Superintendent (Williamson). The provincial government was unable to act owing to the strength of the Opposition, but on Williamson's advice Munro contested a vacant seat in the Provincial Council, and was elected as the representative of Northern Division (Nov 1857). He sat for that constituency 1857-61, and in 1860 was elected to Parliament for Marsden, which he represented for six years. He again entered the Provincial Council for that seat (1866-68), and after an absence of three years returned to Parliament for Marsden (1869-70, 1871-75). Munro's election to the Council gave Williamson the required support; and in Parliament he promoted the Auckland immigration act (No. 21 of 1861), which secured for the immigrants from Nova Scotia all the advantages of the special settlement at Waipu. Munro was not a fluent speaker, but he was a forceful writer and had sound views on public affairs. He died on 20 Apr 1879. He married Miss Jessie Wilson.

App. H.R., 1871, H7; Provincial Secretary, Nova Scotia; N. R. McKenzie; Macdonald (p). Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 57

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