John Kerr (Nelson politician)

For the Auckland politician, see John Kerr (Auckland politician).

John Kerr (1830 – 3 May 1898) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.

Biography

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1885–1887	9th	Waimea		Independent
1887–1890	10th	Motueka		Independent

Kerr was born in 1830 in the south of Scotland. His father's name was also John Kerr. The family emigrated to New Zealand in 1842 on the Fifeshire and settled in Waimea West.

Following the resignation from Parliament of Joseph Shephard, who had been appointed to the Legislative Council, a Waimea by-election was held on 3 June 1885. It was contested by six candidates: Kerr (253 votes), W. N. Franklyn (250 votes), William White (94 votes), Christian Dencker (91 votes), William Wastney (59 votes) and Jesse Piper (32 votes). Kerr was thus elected.

Kerr represented the Waimea electorate until 1887, and then the Motueka electorate from 1887 to 1890. In the 1890 general election, he contested the Nelson electorate and was narrowly defeated by Joseph Harkness. The 1893 general election was contested by four candidates in Nelson: John Graham (1289 votes – elected), Richmond Hursthouse (1011 votes), Kerr (910 votes) and William Lock (74 votes).

Kerr had a farm at Lake Rotoiti. He drowned in the lake in 1898.

References

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Joseph Shephard	Member of Parliament for Waimea 1885–1887	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Richmond Hursthouse	Member of Parliament for Motueka 1887–1890	In abeyance Title next held by Roderick McKenzie