BRUCE, ROBERT CUNNINGHAM (1843-1917) was born at Kelso, Scotland, and spent his early years in Ireland. He went to sea at the age of 14 and sailed in all parts of the world for 20 years. A fine athletic figure, he excelled in boxing and other sports and was fond of botany. He left the sea at different times to work on the goldfields of California, Australia and New Zealand. Arriving in Otago in 1860, he was for some time at Arrow and visited the Dunstan in 1862. He then returned to the sea, sailing mainly on the Atlantic and (for two years) on the American lakes. In 1877 Bruce decided to settle in New Zealand and walked from Wellington to take up land at Paraekaretu, where he spent six years. After a trip to England, working his passage before the mast, he was elected to Parliament for Rangitikei, which he represented (1884-90). He was defeated by George Hutchison for Waitotara (1890) and by McGuire for Egmont (1891), but regained the Rangitikei seat in 1892. He retired at the general election of 1893, and contested Manawatu unsuccessfully in 1896. Bruce was a brilliant speaker and a staunch freetrader. He was greatly interested in the native flora of New Zealand and on his death he left to his district a fine park at Hunterville, with a considerable amount of virgin bush. In 1914 Bruce published his reminiscences of his early life. He died on 23 Apr 1917.

N.Z.P.D., 29 Jun 1917; Cycl. N.Z., i; Who's Who N.Z., 1908. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 69

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