McLEAN, WILLIAM (1845-1914), who was born at Grantown, Inverness-shire, Scotland, arrived in Dunedin in 1863 by the Dauntless. For a time he was engaged as a schoolmaster on the West Coast, and later went into business in Reefton, where he was interested in mining. Moving to Wellington in 1884, he started in business as an auctioneer and sharebroker. At a by-election in 1892 he was returned to the House of Representatives for the City of Wellington (defeating H. D. Bell) but he lost the seat in 1893. McLean helped to promote the building of the Wellington Opera House, and was a firm believer in the potentialities of the Taranaki oil fields. He was a freemason, a member of the Excelsior lodge of druids, and president of the Wellington association of spiritualists. He died on 25 Aug 1914.

N.Z.P.D., 26 Aug 1914; Cycl. N.Z., i; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Lyttelton Times, 16 Jan 1892; Evening Post, 25 Aug 1914.

Reference: Volume 2, page 21

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