Charles Brown (Taranaki) - Political Career

Political Career

In 1853, the Constitution Act divided the colony into six provinces. Each province had an elected Provincial Council and was governed by a Superintendent. On 16 July 1853 at age 33 years, Charles Brown was elected to be the first Superintendent of the Taranaki Provincial Government., from which he resigned on 4 January 1857. On 24 May 1861, he was again elected as Superintendent, holding that office until 4 September 1865.

He served two separate terms in the 2nd New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Grey and Bell electorate. He was elected at the general election on 8 November 1855, and resigned on 16 August 1856 to (unsuccessfully) contest the superintendency.

He contested a 17 May 1858 by-election against Dillon Bell in the Grey and Bell electorate. Brown and Bell received 75 and 61 votes, respectively. Brown was thus declared elected. He resigned in 1860, when his militia service required his full attention.

He later served in the 3rd New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Town of New Plymouth electorate from 1864 to 1865, and in the 4th New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Omata electorate from 1868 to 1870.

He was Colonial Treasurer (forerunner to the modern Minister of Finance) in the first Fox Ministry under Premier William Fox.

With three others, Brown contested the New Plymouth electorate in the 1884 election, but he came last.