MACFARLANE, JOHN SANGSTER (1818-80) was born at Haddington, East Lothian, the son of a minister of the Established Church. In 1837 he went to New South Wales as an officer of the commissariat department, but resigned shortly afterwards and studied navigation. He then purchased a schooner and entered into the Auckland-Sydney trade.

In 1844 he settled in Auckland, and joined Captain Salmon as merchants and coastal traders, interested mainly in the East Coast. In 1849 Macfarlane visited California in command of the Daniel Webster. On his return he was associated with Captain Read in the Poverty Bay trade, and afterwards carried on business in Auckland under the style of J. S. Macfarlane and Co. He retired in 1876 to devote his time to public affairs and directorates. The latter included the Bank of New Zealand, the New Zealand Insurance Co. (of which he was a director from the beginning until his death), the Fiji Banking Co., the Auckland Steam Packet Co., the Auckland Rope Manufactory and the Parnell Soap Co. He paid much attention to steam communications with outlying ports, especially the north and the East Coast, and for a while had the steamers Iona, Rowena and Southern Cross in service. He was also heavily interested in the timber trade. His advocacy was instrumental in getting a railway constructed to the Thames goldfields.

Macfarlane represented Waitemata in Parliament (1876-79, being defeated by R. Wood). He was a frank, outspoken speaker, a man of remarkable energy and force of character. In 1871 he resigned from the commission of the peace to assert his independence. He was a liberal patron of the turf and owned some good horses, notably Kauri Gum, which won the champion cup in Otago. Macfarlane died on 2 Feb 1880.

N.Z.P.D., 1876-79; N.Z. Herald, 3 Feb 1880; App. H.R., 1871 G1.

Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 9

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