FORSAITH, THOMAS SPENCER (1814-98) was born in London. His father, Samuel Forsaith, a linen draper and haberdasher, was of Scots extraction, and both father and mother (Elizabeth Emberson) were Congregationalists of the strict Primitive type.

Apprenticed at an early age to a Croydon draper and silk mercer, Forsaith disliked his occupation and, determined to get to sea, engaged as a cabin boy in a collier bound for the Tyne. His intention was discovered by the Rev John Varty before the ship sailed, and he was returned to his parents, who, hoping to disgust him with a seaman's life, sent him in a collier on one voyage. He was then apprenticed as cadet to the shipping firm of Charles Horsfall and Co., and made three voyages to the East Indies in the ship Huddersfield (Captain Noakes). Returning to London with excellent testimonials, he found that his father had died. As fourth officer in the ship Hoogley, which was chartered by the government to take convicts to Botany Bay, he sailed for the Antipodes in Jul 1834. Once again he visited Australia, in the Lord Goderich, which left England Jul 1836 and called at some of the northern ports of New Zealand for spars. While in England Forsaith made the acquaintance of Elizabeth Mary Clements, daughter of Robert Clements, of Hoxton, London, and they were married on 17 May 1838, at the Congregational Church in Old Broad street—one of the earliest weddings legally celebrated in a dissenting place of worship.

Shortly after the wedding the young couple left for New Zealand with the intention of making a home here. Leaving his wife at Bay of Islands, Forsaith settled first at Mangungu, on the Hokianga river, and then he moved to the Kaipara. He purchased land from the natives at Mangawhare and on the Wairoa and Otamatea rivers, and assisted to make purchases for some Sydney merchants (Wright and Grahame). Mrs Forsaith now joined her husband at Mangawhare, where he engaged in farming and the timber trade. In Nov 1841 a skull was dug up on the land and three months later a large party of natives raided the farm to exact muru for a supposed offence. In the absence of Forsaith they carried off doors and windows. At an inquiry held at Mangawhare in the presence of the protector (Clarke) and G. M. Waterhouse, (q.v.) Forsaith was absolved of offence against native customs, and was later granted compensation for his losses. He left Mangawhare to live in Auckland, whither the Government had just been moved from Russell.

Owing to his experience of the natives and knowledge of the language the Government in Mar 1842 appointed him a sub-protector of aborigines. A year later he was promoted to be a protector. In this capacity he came into contact with Governor FitzRoy, whom he accompanied early in 1844 to Cook Strait and to the gathering at Waikanae after the affray at the Wairau. In Feb 1844 he was present at the signing of the Te Aro deed of purchase at Port Nicholson, and later he acted as interpreter for Richmond and Selwyn in bringing about peace between the tribes at Wanganui. In 1845, in his official capacity, he met Te Rauparaha on his visit to Wellington, and rode by his side into the town. Shortly after Grey's assumption of the governorship Forsaith's office was abolished. There were differences of opinion on matters of policy and charges were later made against Forsaith by the Governor in respect to the part supposed to have been taken by the protectors in private land dealings. Grey eventually withdrew his charges against Forsaith (the full correspondence being published in the House of Commons' papers relating to New Zealand).

Declining an invitation to resume duty in the new Native Department, Forsaith in 1847 went into business in Auckland as a draper. In 1852 his new premises in brick and stone were amongst the finest in the young city. For some years he was a prominent and popular figure in Auckland and a leader in its social life. In Sep 1852 he was elected to represent the Northern Division in the Legislative Council of New Ulster (which was never convened). When the first elections took place for the General Assembly (Sep 1853) he was returned for the Northern Division. Parliament assembled in Auckland in 1854 and was soon involved in a heated controversy on responsible government. Forsaith, more cautious than the FitzGerald party, was reluctant to force the innovation on the Administrator (Wynyard) until he had had an opportunity of consulting the Colonial Office. Though he voted alone against 28 members in favour of a reasonable period of delay he afterwards strongly advocated giving the new system a fair trial. In Aug 1854, when Wynyard was being advised by Wakefield, Forsaith was one of 10 who refused to vote against him, on the ground that he was in a false position. The Assembly having been prorogued for a fortnight, Forsaith was summoned by the administrator to form a ministry. He was engaged at the time at his business premises, but hurriedly 'changed his garb' before proceeding to Government House, an incident which led to his short government being referred to as 'the Clean-Shirt Ministry.' This ministry, which included also E. J. Wakefield, Travers and Macandrew, held office only from 31 Aug to 2 Sep. Though really the leader, Forsaith explained that he did not occupy the position of head of the Government in that House. He considered his colleagues as his equals; 'no one of them was before the others.' In his opening speech the Administrator said he hoped that the controversy would be buried in oblivion; he had endeavoured by appointments to the executive council to give to all the provinces an effectual voice and influence in both the legislative and executive proceedings of the government. In the debate on the address-in-reply Forsaith claimed to stand for a Whig policy as against the 'Tory or squattatorial policy of FitzGerald.' The Government was defeated by 22 votes to 10, and it resigned office on 2 Sep.

Throughout the remainder of the first Parliament Forsaith was the ostensible leader of his party and an able exponent of Liberal principles. A sound thinker and a good speaker well informed, he took a broad view of most questions. His opinions on native matters were sensible and helpful. At the earliest sittings he carried a motion in favour of opening the proceedings with a prayer, but insisted that nothing should be done which might tend to grant to any religious body pre-eminence over the others (26 Aug 1854). For the same reasons a year later he carried a resolution protesting against the salary of Bishop Selwyn being provided out of colonial funds (28 Aug 1855). At the dissolution of 1855 Forsaith found his popularity had waned and he lost his seat in the Assembly (Henderson 363, Lee 294, Forsaith 202, May 213). At the same time he contested unsuccessfully a seat in the Auckland Provincial Council. Four members were required, and he was sixth amongst seven candidates.

Forsaith now devoted himself more closely to his business, and, it is said, acted for about twelve months as editor of the New Zealander. In 1857 he was appointed a J.P. In Apr 1858 he was once more elected to the House of Representatives (for the City of Auckland). In this Parliament he supported the ballot with the remark: 'If it exercised a conservative influence that would furnish to his mind one of the strongest reasons for supporting it, as a means of checking that democratic tendency which was so unmistakably exhibited in colonial politics.' (8 Jul 1858) Forsaith's strong sympathy for the Maori led him to take a determined stand in regard to the war. His generous defence of Wi Kingi during the important debates in Aug 1860 created dismay amongst the supporters of the Government, and when the elections came again Forsaith was looked at askance by a considerable section of the people of Auckland, whose fears of a native rising were not altogether without reason. Though he had made it clear that the war, having been embarked upon, must be fought to a successful end, his opponents in the electorate made capital of his pro-Maori feelings, and he was soundly defeated (for Auckland East) by Thomas Russell (q.v). When he retired from the contest, at 11 a.m., he had polled only 19 votes against his opponent's 110.

This contest closed Forsaith's parliamentary career. He remained in business in Auckland until the middle of 1862, when he retired with some idea of entering the church. Always a strong evangelical, he had taken a leading part in Congregational meetings whenever occasion offered. He signed the confession of faith of the Presbyterian Church in Auckland (1850), but always preferred the Congregational. When he left to settle in Dunedin (1862) he resigned from the trusteeship of the Auckland Savings Bank, and a few months later was a trustee of a similar institution in Dunedin. In 1863 he became a vice-president of the Y.M.C.A., and a few weeks later a member of the local committee for the Exhibition of 1865. He spoke at Congregational meetings in and about the city, and for some time was associated with the new journal, The Colonist, whose first manager (Lambert) had been recommended by him to Macandrew. Before long Forsaith accepted a charge under the Presbyterian Church as missioner at Tuapeka, and he contemplated entering the ministry of that Church. He was recommended in 1864 as being eminently qualified for acceptance, but in Jan 1865 the presbytery requested him to continue his theological studies for another two years. In Jul of that year he was duly ordained to the pastorate of the new Congregational Church at Port Chalmers. In 1867 Forsaith was invited to take charge for two years of the Congregational church at Point Piper, Woollahra, New South Wales. While there, at the instance of his friend, the Hon John Fairfax, he undertook to establish a church at Parramatta, and he started preaching in the mechanics' institute there in 1870. The foundation stone of the church was laid the following year, and in 1873 the edifice was opened (at a cost for land and building of from £3,000 to £4,000). When he left Parramatta (1878) there was a debt of £700 on the church, towards the extinguishment of which as a jubilee effort he donated £250.

Forsaith resigned the Parramatta pastorate, at the request of friends, to accept the resident chaplaincy of the Camden Theological College. While there he founded a mission cause at Haslam's Creek (later Hampden). After four years at Camden he returned to Parramatta and commenced to labour at Summer Hill, where in 1882 he founded a progressive church. He was for one year (1872) chairman of the Congregational Union of New South Wales, and he acted as its registrar. On leaving Summer Hill Forsaith, with his wife, paid a long visit to Canada, the United States and Europe. He gave many lectures in Great Britain, which attracted emigrants towards New Zealand; and he officiated for some time in the Presbyterian Church at Venice. When he returned to New South Wales in 1884 he thought it imprudent to accept a new charge, but for some years filled vacancies in Australia and New Zealand (especially in Dunedin and Invercargill).

While Forsaith lived in Dunedin the Rev Dr Stuart wished to write his biography, but died before entering upon the task. Forsaith commenced his own memoirs early in 1898. In that year he and his wife celebrated their diamond wedding. Forsaith died at Parramatta on 29 Nov 1898, and his widow survived him only a few months. (See T. M. MACDONALD.)

Hansard, 1853-55; G.B.O.P., 1846; Buller; Saunders; Mennell; Rusden; Reeves, Hight and Bamford; Cox; Cycl. NZ., ii; Thomson, ii; Elihu Shaw in NZ. Herald, 13 Jul 1935; G. Smales do. 6 Jan 1894; NZ. Herald, 4 Apr 1891, 21 May 1892, 7 Apr 1894, 21 Jul 1929; Evening Post, 18 Aug 1934 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 152

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