ONSLOW, SIR WILLIAM HILLIER, EARL OF (1853-1911) was the only son of George Augustus Cranley Onslow. He succeeded his great uncle as fourth earl in 1870. Born at Bletsoe, he was educated at Eton and was a lord-in-waiting to Queen Victoria (1880-85 and 1886-87). Soon after vacating this position he was appointed parliamentary Under-secretary for the Colonies, representing the Colonial Office in the House of Lords; and in 1888 Secretary to the Board of Trade. He was a vice-president of the first Colonial Conference in 1887. He was created K.C.M.G. in 1888.

In May 1889 Onslow assumed office as Governor of New Zealand, and soon afterwards was promoted G.C.M.G. He was a successful governor, business-like and straightforward in his administration, frank in character and fond of outdoor activities. He took a great interest in acclimatisation, and used his influence to get reserves set aside as bird sanctuaries. In political matters Onslow was not so happy. When the Atkinson Government was defeated at the polls (Dec 1890) it recommended the Governor to approve several appointments to the Legislative Council. Onslow refused to make more than six and that only on the assurance that they were needed to strengthen the chamber and not to reward party services. The opposition, led by Ballance, protested to the Governor against the appointments as being unconstitutional. Onslow replied that they had already been made, adding rather brusquely that he was responsible only to the Colonial Office. Lord Knutsford, in acknowledging the despatch, admitted that Onslow had acted in accordance with his instructions, but he 'did not desire to be understood to offer any opinion upon the action of your ministers in tendering such advice.' Onslow did a service to colonial governments in requesting the Colonial Office to put upon a proper footing the responsibility of governor and ministers in regard to the exercise of the prerogative of mercy. In a despatch dated 7 Feb 1891 he stated that the cabinet (in the case of Mahi Kai) had asserted its right to advise the governor upon this as upon all other matters. Onslow did not object to this claim. He accepted the Government's advice, but asked that the matter should be made clear in the Royal Instructions. All the other colonies agreed with the New Zealand view, and it was regularised accordingly. Onslow took a considerable interest in the Maori people, who were much flattered by his action in giving his second son the name 'Huia' and presenting him for adoption to the Ngati-Huia tribe.

Onslow resigned at the end of 1891. That he was not popular was due mainly to his personal exclusiveness and his prejudice against Wellington from the fact that his son had suffered a critical attack of typhoid fever there. Before leaving on 24 Feb 1892 he was asked by his advisers to appoint a batch of new members to the Legislative Council, where an overwhelming majority was obstructing the Liberal party's legislation. Onslow refused to sanction the appointments, and was said to have left a letter for his successor advising him to the same course. In view of the reasoned decision of Knutsford on the previous incident, Onslow would appear not to have been justified either in withholding his assent or in passing the decision on to a successor who knew nothing of the circumstances. In 1895 he became Parliamentary Under-secretary for India, and he remained at the India Office till 1900. In 1903 he was president of the Board of Agriculture and was made a Privy Councillor. He was chairman of committees of the House of Lords from 1905-11, retiring on account of ill-health. He died on 23 Oct 1911.

Onslow married (1875) the Hon Florence Coulston, daughter of Lord Gardner.

D.N.B.; App. H.R., 1891-92; Burke; Keith; Gisborne (p); Reeves; Hight and Bamford; The Times, 24 Oct 1911.

Reference: Volume 2, page 71

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