MOAT, WILLIAM POLLOCK (1827-95) was born at Dunmurry, in County Antrim, Ireland, the son of a linen bleacher. Educated at the Royal Academical Institution in Belfast, he was articled to a leading solicitor (1844) and admitted to practise in the Irish courts (1849). After two years' practice in Belfast, he came to Auckland in the Lord William Bentinck (1851), but was immediately attracted to the Victorian goldfields, and remained there engaged in mining till 1861.

Coming to New Zealand he took up a farm, but left at once for Queensland, and having returned to Victoria came back to New Zealand finally in 1868. Moat took up land at Mahurangi Heads, where he farmed to 1890. He was chairman of the Eastern and Lower Mahurangi highway boards; a member of the first board of education from 1878 (of which he was deputy-chairman 1880-82 and chairman 1883-84); chairman of the education reserves commissioners (1880-83), a member of the Grammar School board and the land board (1876-83). He was M.P.C. for Warkworth (1873-75) and M.H.R. for Rodney (1884-90). His death occurred on 24 Mar 1895. Moat was a prominent freemason (E.C.).

Parltry record; Auckland P.C. Proc.; N.Z. Herald, 25, 27 Mar 1895. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 47

🌳 Further sources