FITZHERBERT, SIR WILLIAM (1810-91) was the third son of the Rev Samuel Fitzherbert, of Buckshaw House, near Sherborne, Dorset, and rector of Houghton. Educated first at a dame school and then at Sherborne Grammar School, he proceeded to the Merchant Taylors' School and then to Queen's College, Cambridge, where he entered at the age of 18 and was tutored by his brother Herbert, then a professor at the University. Fitzherbert was a good scholar; senior optime in mathematics and Brown's University medallist; double first in classics. He graduated M.A. in 1832 and became a fellow of his College. He rowed No.7 in 'Queen Mab' when she was head of the river, and stroked the Cambridge eight selected to row against Oxford in 1832, when Oxford declined to row. He was an adept light-weight boxer and distinguished himself in the town-and-gown rows in the old town, notably when he rescued Hugh Carleton (q.v.) from the infuriated townsmen. After leaving the University Fitzherbert decided to study medicine, and went to the Ecole de Medicine, Paris, for that purpose, afterwards walking St George's Hospital in London. He graduated M.D. in Mar 1839 and commenced practice in Hanover square, London. He married in 1837, Sarah Jane Leigh, who died on 21 Aug 1886. Fitzherbert was early interested in New Zealand and invested some thousands of pounds in the New Zealand Company. In 1841 he determined to go to New Zealand to look after his interests, and he purchased the schooner Lady Leigh, 109 tons, and loaded her with merchandise. Four months later she reached Sydney, and on 15 Sep 1841 she dropped anchor in the harbour of Port Nicholson. Fitzherbert sent for his wife and family, and for some years they resided on the slope of Mount Victoria. He did not practise in New Zealand, but entered into business at once as a general merchant, auctioneer and buyer of whale oil and bone, keeping the Lady Leigh in commission and frequently going in her round the whaling stations in both islands. He carried on his business in Farish street, which he named after a son of Professor Farish. The earthquake of 1848 so affected the health of his wife that Fitzherbert determined to take her to Sydney, and for this purpose he chartered the barque Sobraon, which he loaded with whalebone and oil from his stations at Kapiti and Amuri Bluff. While beating out of the heads the Sobraon struck Barrett's reef and became a total wreck. Mrs Fitzherbert went by another vessel to Sydney, where her daughter was born, and shortly returned to Wellington in a new schooner built for his business and named the William Alfred after their eldest son. They resided in a house near the Colonial Museum until the William Alfred brought from Sydney a frame house built to Fitzherbert's order, which he had erected at the Hutt and called Tredenham. Fitzherbert was associated with Pharazyn in pastoral interests and on going to the Hutt to reside he practically relinquished business and devoted himself to public life. In 1843 he had been placed at the head of the commission of the peace, but he declined a seat in the Legislative Council. He was a prominent member of the Settlers' Constitutional Association (which included also Bell, Fox, Stafford, Featherston, Cargill, Richmond, Godley and Wakefield). When the constitution was obtained Fitzherbert had no difficulty in getting elected to the Wellington Provincial Council for Wellington City, which he represented until unseated in 1857 in the constitutional struggle which ended in the defeat of the Wakefield party. Two years later he was returned for Hutt, and he remained its member until 1869. Throughout he strongly supported Featherston, generally as a member of the executive, and occasionally as deputy-superintendent. When Featherston resigned the superintendency to go to England, Fitzherbert was elected to the post, and continued in it until the abolition. It was a hard task to follow such a man, but Fitzherbert well maintained the dignity of the position and when the time came for its demise gave a noble account of the achievements of the province.

In Parliament Fitzherbert always held a leading position. Elected in 1855 for City of Wellington, he transferred his services three years later to Hutt, which he represented until his resignation in 1879, to be elevated to the Legislative Council. He was Colonial Treasurer in the Weld ministry (1864-65) and in the succeeding Stafford ministry, and for one month in 1872 he was Stafford's Minister of Lands. From 1876 he was Speaker of the House and from 1879 was Speaker almost continuously of the Legislative Council until his death in 1891. Fitzherbert took an active part in the initiation of the self-reliant policy, and in the removal of the seat of government to Wellington. As Colonial Treasurer he went to England in connection with the claim of the Imperial Government for the payment of £750,000 for the services and supply of British troops employed in New Zealand during the Maori wars. He finally obtained remission of the debt and arranged the consolidation of the New Zealand public debt on advantageous terms. He received the C.M.G. in 1872, and was knighted in 1877.

After entering the Legislative Council Fitzherbert was frequently employed on important missions for the colony. At the Colonial Conference of 1887 in London the delegates were much impressed by his ability. The following year he represented New Zealand at the postal conference at Sydney, and he had been appointed to attend the Federal conference in Australia in 1891, but death intervened on 7 Feb.

Unlike Featherston, Fitzherbert never practised medicine in New Zealand. He found business and commercial ventures much more to his liking and lived throughout 'a life of high and stern exertion, distinguished from the first by acts of rare courage and uncommon quality of action.' He was for years a director of the Australian Mutual Provident Society. Of Fitzherbert as a parliamentarian, Gisborne says: 'Although distinguished for mental capacity and for political foresight, he had not the qualities which instinctively attract the sympathy and gain the goodwill of others. He was too shut up within himself; he neither gave nor asked for confidence. His influence, however, was great. Able and astute, he was the Ulysses of statesmen; and, although openly he was not one of the leaders of men, he did much secretly to sway their action. No one could fail to recognise his intellectual power and the sagacity of his counsel. A great speech from Sir William Fitzherbert was an intellectual treat. During an exciting and critical debate, while opponents were violently attacking him, he would sit immovable, his eyes shut, and every muscle in his face as rigid as if it were cut in marble, apparently asleep. But when he rose to reply the whole scene was changed. Without a note, and trusting to his memory, which never failed him on such occasions, he would answer point by point every speech of his opponents, covering them with ridicule and discredit and apparently routing them by force of argument.'

Gisborne (p); Rusden; Reeves; Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Wellington P.C. Proc.; N.Z.P.D., pass. (notably 21 Aug 1875, 29 Apr 1879); N.Z. Times, 9 Feb 1891, 3 Feb 1906; Independent, 7 Dec 1867; Evening Post, 31 Aug 1929 (p). Portrait: Parliament House.

A son, HENRY SAMUEL FITZHERBERT (1851-1912) was educated at Christ's College, Christchurch, and at Melbourne University and admitted to the bar in 1875. He practised for some years in Wellington and was M.H.R. for Hutt (1884-90). He afterwards settled in Palmerston North, where he was solicitor to the borough council and crown solicitor. In 1907 Fitzherbert was appointed stipendiary magistrate at New Plymouth, where he died in 1912. He was a member of the diocesan and general synod.

Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Who's Who N.Z., 1908.

Reference: Volume 1, page 147

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