HAMILTON, WILLIAM JOHN WARBURTON (1825-83) was born at Little Chart Rectory, Kent, of Irish extraction. He was the eldest son of the Rev John Vesey Hamilton. His education he obtained in England, in Paris, in Brussels and at Harrow. At the age of 18 he left for Sydney in the Bangalore. Captain FitzRoy was a passenger, proceeding to be governor of New Zealand. This association was of importance in shaping Hamilton's career. The young naval officer who was to have been FitzRoy's private secretary having to resign as the result of a wound, FitzRoy offered the post to Hamilton. In this capacity he visited settlements and native strongholds from end to end of the colony. Many of FitzRoy's dispatches were drafted by him and he had also the duty of entertaining guests. During Heke's war in 1845, as a lieutenant in the Auckland militia and aide-de-camp to the Governor, he saw something of the fighting.

When FitzRoy was recalled (late in 1845) Hamilton continued for a while under Sir George Grey, and then returned to England (1846), where he appears to have spent two years. He came again to New Zealand as a survey officer in H.M.S. Acheron, detailed to make a survey of the coast (1848). Fellow officers were Captain Richards and Lieut. Evans, whose surveys were embodied in the first New Zealand Pilot and still remain the basis of navigation instructions for the New Zealand coasts. Richards was later Sir George Richards (managing director of the Cable Maintenance Co.), while Evans became hydrographer to the Navy. Hamilton's work was chiefly in the South Island. Early in 1849 he made inland explorations in north Canterbury, and discovered open grass country up the Hurunui and Waiau rivers, part of which was called the Hamilton plains. His report (dated 3 May 1849) shows a sound knowledge of geology. When the Acheron was in Foveaux Strait, Hamilton was put ashore, with a midshipman and a Maori guide, and made important explorations to the westward as far as Mt Hamilton, Jacob's river. They spent three days on the flat which afterwards became the site of Invercargill and then returned overland to Dunedin. During the summer of 1849-50 he examined the coastline from Banks Peninsula to Cape Campbell, making soundings and landing in every cove. His reports were published in Captain J. Lort Stokes's paper before the Royal Geographical Society. When in Canterbury Hamilton considered the streets of the capital town should be two chains wide, with rows of trees, as in Paris.

Returning to Auckland, Hamilton was appointed by Grey to the post of resident magistrate at Wanganui (Aug 1850), a considerable responsibility for a young man of 25 years. He made several trips far up the river, got into communication with the natives, and organised a native police (of which Keepa te Rangihiwinui, q.v., was a member). His integrity and fairness commended him to both races. His next official post was collector of customs in Canterbury, to which he was appointed in Aug 1853.

At the first elections for the Provincial Council Hamilton was elected for Lyttelton, which he represented 1853-57. An active and useful member, he was shortly appointed provincial auditor, which was in the gift of the Council. In the following year he was made also sub-treasurer for the general Government. Hamilton was a member of the Tancred executive (1853) and presented a good deal of government business in the Council. He was again in Tancred's executive (1855-57), and finally in that of Packer (1857). He did not seek re-election or to enter Parliament.

In Feb 1856 he was appointed resident magistrate in Canterbury, and was called upon to clear up outstanding difficulties with the South Island natives. His early knowledge of the native question was extensive, but he insisted that a competent interpreter should accompany him, and the Rev J. Aldred was appointed. The negotiations in one district resulted in an area of 50,000 acres being purchased for £150, with £45 additional for expenses. North of Kaiapoi Hamilton purchased 1,140,000 acres for a payment of £200. Much of this area had already been let or sold to Europeans in the belief that it had been duly purchased from the natives. Hamilton strongly advised the Government to send a competent person to visit the South Island Maori every few years, and Sir Donald McLean agreed. In the Provincial Council, in his official capacity, and in the press Hamilton set his face firmly against the 'gridironing' of Canterbury lands by wealthy people, to the detriment of the working settlers. Several cases of evasion of the law were brought into the courts. He was for some years a commissioner of the land board. In 1863 Hamilton was a member of the provincial commission which recommended the improvement of Lyttelton harbour. After leaving the customs service he was appointed receiver of land revenue, a position which he held until his retirement (1874).

Incidentally he was for some time manager in Lyttelton of the Union Bank and a director of the Trust and Loan Co. He was also for 25 years a part proprietor of the Lyttelton Times. Hamilton was many years a governor of Christ's College, and was on the board of governors of Canterbury College (1875-83). He was a deeply religious man, a keen churchman and a lay member of the synod. He died on 6 Dec 1883. Hamilton married (1857) Frances, eldest daughter of James Townsend, who arrived in the Cressy (1850). She died in 1889.

G.B.O.P., 1850; A. Mackay; Cox, Men of Mark; Godley, Letters; Beattie, ii; Lyttelton Times, 26 May 1853, 3 Jan 1884, 13 Dec 1917; The Press, 26 Apr 1930. Portrait: The Press, 28 Apr 1930.

Reference: Volume 1, page 192

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