CUTTEN, WILLIAM HENRY (1822-83) was born in London. After receiving a good education he studied law, and in a few years received a post in the department of the commissioner of bankruptcy.

At the age of 26 Cutten emigrated to New Zealand in the John Wickliffe, and established himself as a merchant and auctioneer in Dunedin. In 1849 he was appointed emigration agent, and he was also a land claims commissioner. He took a prominent part in the Otago Settlers' Association, which worked for full self-government, and was one of the founders of the Mechanics' Institute in Dunedin. The first newspaper in the settlement, the Otago News, came to an end in Dec 1850. A group of business men financed the Otago Witness, which made its first appearance in Feb 1851. It was intended that they should take week about editing the journal, but before long Cutten was appointed editor at £1 a week. In Oct 1851 the proprietors presented the property to him. Soon afterwards the plant was transferred to Cutten's auction rooms, whence the paper issued for some years. On the outbreak of the diggings (1861) Cutten and his associates established the Otago Daily Times, and engaged Vogel as editor of both papers. B. L. Farjeon took charge of the mechanical side. Cutten found his temperament unsuited to the hurly-burly of journalism, and before long he parted with his interest in the company.

In the first Provincial Council he was one of the members for the City of Dunedin (1853-63). During most of that time he was a member of the executive, often as provincial treasurer, and he held from the General Government the post of commissioner of crown lands for the province. These combined offices caused embarrassment, and he had to choose between the service of the province and that of the Colony. A rule had been passed by the Provincial Council forbidding its members holding office under the General Government. Cutten retired from the Council and continued in the office of commissioner of crown lands until 1867, when it was combined with that of chief surveyor, and J. T. Thomson assumed the post.

Cutten was elected in 1853 as member for Dunedin Country district in Parliament. The long journeys to Auckland made it impossible for him to leave his business for so long, and he resigned in 1855. In that year he was elected a member of the Dunedin town board (which preceded the City Council). In 1863 Cutten tried again to enter Parliament, but was defeated for Dunedin and Suburbs by Reynolds and Vogel. Having resigned his General Government appointments, he was free in the early seventies to take public office, and he returned to the Provincial Council as member for Dunedin. He was for 18 months a member of Donald Reid's executive, and he foreshadowed the Liberal land measures of Rolleston by introducing resolutions in the Council providing for the system of land purchase by deferred payment. Having retired from the Council, Cutten in 1873 paid a visit of two years to the Old Country.

On returning he was again elected M.H.R. (for Taieri, which he represented from 1878-79). In 1881 he tried to get himself elected for Peninsula, but without success. He was a member of the Otago University council 1871-83.

Cutten married (1850) a daughter of Cargill. He died on 30 Jun 1883.

Otago P.C. Proc.; Hocken; Arnold; Otago News, pass; Otago Daily Times, 1 Jul 1883, 4 Jul 1930 (p).

Reference: Volume 1, page 111

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