GRAHAM, ROBERT (1820-85) was born near Glasgow, the son of a Lanark farmer who also owned coal mines. Educated in the parish school, he showed great mental ability, courage and determination. While acting as superintendent of a mine he had an accident in which he suffered severe injuries, as a result of which he changed his occupation and entered a warehouse.

Attracted to the colonies, Graham sailed in Jan 1842 in the Jane Gifford for New Zealand, arriving at Auckland on 9 Oct. He at once chartered the cutter Black Hawk and loaded her for Bay of Islands. At Kororareka he met his brother David with whom he started the business of R. and D. Graham. He soon afterwards purchased merchandise in Sydney and opened a store in Auckland. Owing to a threat of war at Bay of Islands, he chartered a schooner and removed the stock from there to Auckland, thus escaping the burning of the settlement.

In 1850 the brothers dissolved the partnership and Robert speculated in cargoes of potatoes for California, where he spent the next three years. On his return, he devoted his attention to improving his property at Ellerslie, importing cattle, sheep, deer, quail, etc., and breeding pedigree stock which won many prizes. He purchased, grassed and stocked Motutapu island; and brought into cultivation and stocked the Lamb Hill estate at Waiuku. Convinced of the healing qualities of its waters, he purchased the Waiwera block (1845), spent a large sum in developing it and eventually acquired his title from the Government. When the northern tribes threatened Auckland, his manager buried the furniture and left the estate. The place was leased for a term and afterwards Graham erected suitable accommodation for developing it as a health resort.

Graham was in Parliament for the Southern Division (1855-60); and for Franklin (1861-68). During the same period he was also in the Provincial Council (Southern Division 1855-57, Franklin 1865-69). Always interested in the Maori race, he moved in Parliament for the appointment of a native council of Europeans who should not be removable on a change of government. The plan was rejected. Favouring a strong native policy, Graham urged Gore-Browne to act when a quantity of gunpowder was stolen from Great Barrier and taken to Coromandel. He was one of the four Auckland members who unsuccessfully resisted the land compact of 1856; and he opposed strenuously the removal of the government to Wellington.

Graham showed distinguished courage and leadership at the wreck of the White Swan (29 Jun 1862), and personally found a suitable landing place and travelled overland to Wellington to get relief. Returning to Auckland in the Lord Worsley, he was again wrecked (on 1 Sep, at Te Namu, Taranaki), and his intervention with the hostile natives averted loss of property and probably of life. He saved £6,000 worth of gold dust which he carried until meeting the Superintendent and the officer commanding the forces.

In Dec 1862 Graham was elected Superintendent of Auckland (defeating Williamson). His term of office, which lasted to Sep 1865, was marked by the raising of a loan of half a million pounds and a vigorous programme of public works and buildings; the inauguration of a water supply to Auckland; the commencement of the railway to Drury, and the prospecting and purchase for the Government of the coal mines at Kawakawa. On the opening of the Thames goldfield, he acquired a large area of land by lease from the natives, laid out Grahamstown and constructed a steam tramline from Grahamstown to Tararu. In 1872 he revisited Scotland. He laid out and planted his estate at Ellerslie (which afterwards became the property of the Auckland Jockey Club), and acquired land at Ohinemutu on which he erected Lake House. In 1878 Graham settled a native feud at Maketu and received as a token of gratitude from the Arawa a large block of land at Taupo containing hot springs. This property (Wairakei) he was developing at the time of his death, which occurred on 26 May 1885.

Cycl. N.Z., ii (p); N.Z.P.D.; Auckland P.C. Proc.; N.Z. Herald, 27 May 1885. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 175

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