{{Short description|New Zealand politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} '''James William Thomson''' (1828 – 4 August 1907) was a 19th-century conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.
==Early life== Thomson was born in Auchterarder, Scotland, in 1828.{{sfn|Scholefield|1940|p=383}} He obtained his education at the University of Edinburgh, where he obtained an MA. He came to New Zealand in 1859 and settled in Balclutha.<ref name="NZETC Thomson">{{cite book |title=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Wellington Provincial District |year=1897 |url= https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-Cyc01Cycl-t1-body-d3-d9-d51.html |publisher=The Cyclopedia of New Zealand |author=Cyclopedia Company Limited |access-date= 27 September 2010 |location=Wellington |chapter=Mr. James William Thomson}}</ref>
==Political career== ===Provincial Council=== He was elected onto the Otago Provincial Council for the Clutha electorate in October 1864. He remained on the Provincial Council until May 1873.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=223}} For two days in May 1868, he was a member of the Otago Executive Council.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=219}} He was a ''provincialist''.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18901206.2.27.2?query=Thomson&start_date=06-12-1890&end_date=06-12-1890&snippet=true&title=ESD |title= New Member |work=Evening Star |via=Papers Past |date= 6 December 1890 }}</ref>
===Member of Parliament=== {{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=right}} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1871 |end=1875 |term=5th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1876 |end=1879 |term=6th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1879 |end=1881 |term=7th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1881 |end=1884 |term=8th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1884 |end=1887 |term=9th }} {{NZ parlbox break}} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Bruce |party=Independent politician |start=1890 |end=1892 |term=11th }} {{NZ parlbox break}} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1896 |end=1899 |term=13th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1899 |end=1902 |term=14th }} {{NZ parlbox |electorate=Clutha |party=Independent politician |start=1902 |end=1905 |term=15th }} {{End}} Thomson represented the Clutha electorate from 1871 to 1887 when he was defeated.<!-- Note that NZETC says that he resigned, but Scholefield / Wilson says that he served until the end of the term. NZETC often has those details wrong, whereas Scholefield is reliable -->{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=240}} He then represented Bruce from 1890 to 1892, when he resigned.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=240}} He did not stand for election in the 1893 election.<ref name="NZETC Thomson" /> Finally he represented the Clutha electorate again from 1896 to 1905, when he retired.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=240}}
===Minister=== Thomson was for three months in 1879 Minister of Lands in the Grey Ministry.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=68}}
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *{{cite book | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda | volume = II | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v2.pdf | access-date = 17 November 2013 }} *{{cite book |author-link = Guy Scholefield | last = Scholefield | first= Guy | title = New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 | edition = 3rd | orig-year=First published in 1913 | year = 1950 |publisher = Govt. Printer |location = Wellington}} *{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= Jim | author-link=Jim Wilson (librarian) |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par | nz}} {{s-bef| before=James Macandrew}} {{s-ttl|rows=2|title=Member of Parliament for Clutha| years=1871–1887<br>1896–1905}} {{s-aft|after=Thomas Mackenzie}} {{s-bef|before=Thomas Mackenzie}} {{s-aft|after=Alexander Malcolm}} {{s-bef | before = Crawford Anderson }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Bruce | years = 1890–1892 }} {{s-aft | after = James Allen }} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thomson, James William}} Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:1828 births Category:1907 deaths Category:Members of Otago provincial executive councils Category:Members of the Otago Provincial Council Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1887 New Zealand general election Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates Category:Independent MPs of New Zealand Category:People from Perthshire Category:Scottish emigrants to New Zealand