PORTER, WILLIAM FIELD (1784-1869) was a successful merchant and shipowner in Liverpool in the early thirties of the nineteenth century. Falling into financial difficulties about 1838 he decided, after satisfying his creditors, to emigrate to the colonies. In August he sailed with his family in the Porter, a brig of 250 tons (built by himself), accompanied by the brig Dorset, 90 tons. He had with him livestock, trees and plants, and two 18-pounder guns. In the Dorset were a number of tradesmen with their families, who came out on the understanding that they would work for Porter until the cost of their passages had been defrayed. At the Cape of Good Hope, Porter sold a stallion for 400 guineas and embarked a Cape mare and some black servants. On reaching Adelaide the Dorset was sold. Porter was not satisfied with prospects there, and spent 18 months visiting various Australian colonies before deciding to make for New Zealand. The Porter arrived in the Waitemata in May 1841, after landing at Great Barrier the Abercrombie family from Sydney, who were shipbuilding and coppermining there. The Porter family lived aboard the brig for three months until a house was available for them. At the ensuing land sales Porter purchased 200 acres at west Tamaki (or Waiparera) and commenced with a wooden plough and bullocks to break it in.

When he had been in Auckland only a few months Porter was called to the Legislative Council of New Zealand (27 Oct 1841) and appointed a justice of the peace. He resigned from the Council in 1844. In 1852 he was elected to represent the Southern Division in the Legislative Council of New Ulster (which did not meet owing to the promulgation of the new constitution). That he was highly thought of was evident again when the new legislative institutions came into being. He was elected to represent the Suburbs of Auckland in the Provincial Council and the House of Representatives, and sat in both from 1853 to 1855, when he retired. In Parliament Porter strongly championed the rights of the Maori, and contended that the Treaty of Waitangi was not being fully observed. In 1854 he was convenor of a committee on bribery at elections. In 1854 he was chairman of the first board of harbour commissioners. Porter died on 30 Mar 1869.

N.Z.P.D., 1854-55; Auckland P.C. Proc. and Gaz.; N.Z. Gaz.; Cycl. N.Z., ii (p); Brett, White Wings, ii (containing diary of son, W. F. Porter).

Reference: Volume 2, page 93

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