BRACKEN, THOMAS (1843-98) was born at Clones, county Monaghan, Ireland, on 21 Dec 1843. His parents were Protestants. His mother died a few days after his birth, and the death of his father left him an orphan at the age of 9.

About 1855 he was sent to Melbourne to the care of an uncle, John Kernan, J.P., an enterprising farmer of Merri, Moonee Ponds. He worked on the farm for a year and was then apprenticed to Hugh Boyd, a chemist in Bendigo. After staying there for eighteen months, he went up country and got employment on the station of Winter brothers at Colbinabbin. Tall, well-built and of a bright disposition, Bracken got on well with his mates, took aptly to the rough occupation, and was soon a good horseman and an efficient shearing hand. Already he showed a facility in making verse, and it is believed that many of the poems which were first published in Behind the Tomb and other Poems (1871) were written at Colbinabbin.

At the age of 26 Bracken came to New Zealand, landing at Dunedin in 1869. In his first book of verse is a poem dated at Dunedin on 7 Feb 1869. He was employed for a year or two on the Otago Guardian and, becoming acquainted with John Bathgate (q.v.), they co-operated in establishing the Saturday Advertiser, the first issue of which appeared on 17 Jul 1875. The Advertiser was a very popular paper and speedily attained a circulation of 6,000 copies a week. It was printed by Coulls and Culling, and Bathgate was the business manager. Bracken besides controlling the paper and writing most of the leading articles, contributed columns of original matter (both prose and verse) to every issue. He used the nom de plume 'Paddy Murphy' for his column. Some of these letters were dated from 'Lambton Quay' and some (in 1883) from Samoa, where Bracken appears to have gone on a visit with J. Lundon (q.v.). His best known poem, Not Understood, first appeared in the Advertiser on 2 Aug 1879, and God Defend New Zealand on 26 Oct 1878. Bracken did notable and unselfish service for New Zealand literature in throwing his columns open to writers of prose and verse, novelists and essayists. In 1879 the imprint of the paper was 'Mackay Bracken and Co.,' and about this time the Advertiser was issued as the weekly edition of the Morning Herald. In 1880 the title was changed to New Zealand Public Opinion, Sportsman, and Saturday Advertiser. A year later Mackay, Bracken and Co. ceased to be publishers, but Bracken was still associated with the literary side of the paper.

Bracken's incursion into politics was characteristic. He came forward at the general election of 1879 as an out-and-out Liberal of Grey's school. Parliament having been dissolved on 15 Aug, he announced himself (in the Advertiser of the 30th) as a candidate for the City of Dunedin. In a long manifesto he declared himself a supporter of the policy of Grey. 'Although "but young in politics and incompetent at present to enter into the details of political economy or the technicalities of finance, I flatter myself that, to quote Shakespeare, "I know a hawk from a handsaw," or, in other words, I am always able to distinguish justice from injustice and right from wrong.' Bracken placed the land question in the forefront, appealing for the subdivision of large estates and the creation of 'a thrifty and hardy yeomanry of the soil.' On the question of education he declared himself unequivocally, 'so that no charge of wavering or trimming may hereafter be brought against me. To me it seems clear enough that in a country like this where, thank Heaven, we have no state religion, dogmatic teaching should not be introduced into our public schools. Christian, Jew, Mohammedan, freethinker and pagan are all equal in the sight of the law, and whilst we cherish the inestimable blessing of civil and religious liberty it would be manifestly unfair to introduce any particular form of belief into our state schools. Therefore I am opposed to Bible reading, with or without comment, by our state teachers. On the other hand, I should be glad to see a scriptural textbook, containing the literary gems of the Bible, introduced into our state schools. The beauties of Job, Isaiah and David, and some of the grandest passages in the New Testament might be introduced into such a reading book. I consider the outcry against secular education raised by the Roman Catholics is unwise in the extreme, and I should, from the bottom of my very soul, desire to see the narrow sectarian partitions which divide people in the old lands removed at least from our schools so that our children might grow up a united people. But the Roman Catholics all over the world, rightly or wrongly, are determined to make any sacrifices rather than allow their children to be educated in what they are pleased to miscall "godless schools"; and the question then arises, would it not be better to give their educational institutions some encouragement than to perpetuate what they consider to be a grievance . . . Looking at the question from a point of expediency alone, I think that such a consummation as the removal of this (to Catholics) grievance would be cheaply purchased by some concession to the religious scruples of such a large and united minority of our fellow-colonists.' Bracken supported manhood suffrage and triennial parliaments. In conclusion he said: 'I do not intend to seek the assistance of any clique or committee in this contest. Nor shall I engage a hall, nor a cab, nor a canvasser to work for me. I consider the tactics employed at election time degrading and contemptible, and if elected I will willingly support any measure having for its object the suppression of the touting and button-holing and bribery which obtain to such an extent at these contests.' The poll (on 4 Sep) resulted: T. Dick 1,140, R. Oliver 1,044, W. D. Stewart, 989, J. Macassey 744, C. S. Reeves 676, T. Bracken 477. The Advertiser recorded Bracken's disappointment ('If men did not vote without being forced or dragged to the poll they did not deserve the franchise') and some resentment at the small support he received from the Catholics who, he declared, had recorded their votes for Macassey.

At the next election (1881) he stood for Dunedin Central (now a single-member electorate). There was now a definite labour sentiment evident in politics and it was due to the persuasion of the Dunedin Trades and Labour Council that Bracken came forward. Of the five candidates nominated two were men of prominence in Otago, E. B. Cargill and H. Bastings. In proposing Bracken, T. W. Kempthorne said that there was no more unselfish man in the province, a hard worker and a man of the people. Bracken, in his hustings speech, strongly advocated land nationalisation and was the only candidate who declared for protecting native industries. Bracken topped the poll with 340 votes (Cargill 320 votes, and Bastings 263). He owed his election largely to the votes of tradesmen and labourers. In Parliament Bracken severely criticised the policy of the Government against the Maori at Parihaka, contending that Te Whiti and Tohu should have been tried like any other offenders. On the education question he voted for Pyke's bill and against the attempt to introduce Bible-reading in schools, contending that the people should be allowed to educate their children as they liked, so long as they conformed to the requirements of the state. He voted to reduce the salary of the governor from £7,500 to £5,000 on the ground that a colony so deeply in debt as New Zealand should not pay more than New South Wales did. At the general election of 1884 Bracken was defeated by Bradshaw (q.v.) by the narrow margin of 499 to 496. Although Bradshaw had been an advocate and inspirer of social reforms for many years, the Trades Council considered that Bracken's conduct in Parliament had been consistently proper and that it would be ungenerous not to support him. The Constitutional Reform Association also decided to support him.

During the campaign Bracken resigned the editorship of the Evening Herald on account of its attack on Stout (Jul 1884). Having lost his seat also, he went to Wellington to seek employment, receiving a flattering farewell from the citizens of Dunedin (20 Aug). Early in 1885, in company with Bathgate and Melland, he purchased the Evening Herald (Dunedin), the issue of 3 Feb bearing the imprint 'Thomas Bracken and Company Ltd.' Bracken carried on his column 'The Humorist' under his own name, and continued to encourage local writers. On the death of Bradshaw (1 Sep 1886) he was again requisitioned to stand, W. Hutchison offering to retire in his favour. Eventually both went to the poll, which resulted: Bracken 501, Hutchison 255, C. R. Chapman 80, W. Darling 3. A dissolution occurred in Jul 1887. Bracken did not offer himself for re-election. His affairs were not flourishing, and in Sep 1890 the Evening Herald was sold and closed down, making way for a new Liberal paper, The Globe.

Bracken now turned his attention to publishing, and in 1890 brought out his most pretentious volume, Musings in Maoriland, with a preface by Sir George Grey. A considerable edition de luxe was printed in Leipzig and the person who financed it had no success in selling copies in Australia. At length he persuaded Bracken, much against his will, to visit Australia to make a personal canvass. He is said to have sold 700 copies, but there is evidence that he was in financial difficulties either on this or on a subsequent lecturing tour. During this tour he wrote God's Own Country (which first appeared in the Yea Chronicle and the New Zealand Herald, and which he considered his best poem up to that time). He had been lecturing without success and was staying with P. Galvin (q.v.), who was running the Yea Chronicle. Galvin offered to do the printing for a lecture which he was to deliver on 6 Apr 1892, the subject being 'A night with Samuel Lever.' It was another failure. Shortly afterwards Galvin had a letter asking for assistance. Bracken was unable to pay his way and had even been forced to part with his dress suit. The Premier (Seddon) offered him a post in the land and income tax department, but close clerical work did not suit his temperament. In May 1894 he was appointed a bill-reader, and he held that position till late in 1895. Many members favoured his being appointed sergeant-at-arms in the House of Representatives on the death of Colonel de Quincey (Jul 1894). He died on 16 Feb 1898.

Bracken's career was at one time full of promise. He was a staunch Liberal with a genuine sympathy for the oppressed. He was a freemason for many years and a pastmaster of the Celtic Lodge (S.C.). Though born a Protestant, he was pre-eminently an Irishman and had a good deal in common with his fellow-countrymen in New Zealand and with the Roman Catholics. When Bishop Moran was establishing the Tablet in 1874, R. A. Loughnan (q.v.), one of the provisional directors, suggested employing Bracken to canvass for shares. He had great success and the paper was started forthwith. Bracken came more closely in touch with Catholics on the question of education and he became a Catholic in 1896 and died in that faith. In 1887 he moved a resolution in the House of Representatives in favour of home rule for Ireland.

Bracken's publications are: 1871, Behind the Tomb and other Poems; 1876, Pulpit Lectures; 1877, Flowers of the Freeland; 1879, The New Zealand Tourist (containing N.Z. Anthem); 1880, Paddy Murphy's Budget; 1884, Lays of the Land of the Maori and Moa; 1886, Paddy Murphy's Annual (a record of political and social events); 1887, A Sheaf from the Sanctum; 1890, Musings in Maoriland; 1892, Dear Old Bendigo and The Triumph of Woman's Rights; 1893, Lays and Lyrics; 1896, Tom Bracken's Annual (i); 1897, Tom Bracken's Annual (ii); 1905, Not Understood and Other Poems (many later editions, the 8th in 1928).

Personal information from P. Galvin, T. L. Buick, Sir R. Stout; Bracken, op. cit.; Innes, Canterbury Sketches; N.Z.P.D., 1881-84, 1886-87; G. W. Otterson, Memoirs of Thomas Bracken, 1929; Scholefield, Union Catalogue; and notes towards a bibliography of Thomas Bracken: Hocken; Saturday Advertiser Aug-Sep 1879, 20 Dec 1879; N.Z. Herald, 19 Feb 1898; Evening Post, 6 Apr 1931; N.Z. Tablet, 11 Mar 1898; J. Cowan in Otago Daily Times, 4 May 1926; R. Irwin, ib. Aug 1930; Otago Daily Times, 8 Dec 1882, 14, 20 Aug 1884, 18 Nov 1893; Evening Star, 17, 21 Feb 1898.

Reference: Volume 1, page 59

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