Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

Councillor Lionel Lewis Harris

Councillor Lionel Lewis Harris, who sits for Lambton Ward in the City Council, Wellington, was born in Liverpool, England. At the age of two years he left the Old Country to come to Australia, as his mother had determined to settle in New South Wales, his father being dead. Here Mr. Harris was educated at private schools, at Windsor, and when he was old enough to go to business, he was put to the drapery trade in Sydney. After gaining considerable experience in this business, he started off on his own account, trading in vari[unclear: ou]s kinds of merchandise along the Queensland coast by steamer. The fame of the Hokitika rush, however, reaching his ears, he crossed over to New Zealand about the year 1864 or 1865, following up the rush for about two years with rather unsatisfactory results. Mr. Harris remembers Greymouth when there were only two business places in it, one on each side of the creek, bearing the names of the first proprietors, namely, Waite and Blake. He saw several exciting scenes while on the West Coast, among others being the riot at Okariti, which is now a matter of history. He was also an eye-witness of the riot at Bruce's Bay, when every store in the place was sacked by the infuriated miners. Mr. Harris was the first man to cross the Okariti bar. This he did in a small cutter which he had chartered. After his West Coast experiences, he returned to New South Wales, but in twelve months' time came back Councillor Lionel Lewis Harris to this Colony, and commenced business in Kaikoura, Marlborougn, as general storekeeper. In two years' time he removed to Southbridge, Canterbury, where he engaged in the store-keeping business for four years. About this time Mr. Harris married Miss I hillips, daughter of Mr. Isaac Phillips, of Wellington, and niece of Mr. Lipman Levy. In 1875, he removed to the Empire City, and started business as a private banker, and this position he has occupied for no less than twenty years. Councillor Harris was elected to a seat in the City Council in October, 1888. He is a prominent member of the Finance Committee, and has been instrumental in securing a reduction of one per cent, in the rate of interest on the City's overdraft, and thus saving a considerable annual outlay. He found that the bank had £25,000 of the Council's money on deposit, at five per cent, interest, though at the same time charging seven per cent, on the Council's overdraft. By his advocacy the interest on the overdraft was reduced from seven per cent. to six. Councillor Harris is the chairman of the Fire Brigade Committee. He reorganised the whole of the Fire Brigade, and has been successful in putting it into a state of efficiency, so that the Wellington Brigade is, at any rate, second to none in the Colony. He contested the mayoralty in 1894, at the time the present mayor, Mr. C. M. Luke, was elected. Councillor Harris is a man possessed of very strong opinions on whatever subject he takes in hand. He has been a consistent supporter of the drainage scheme, and also urges the necessity for the construction of public baths, and the providing of ample breathing spaces in the populous parts of the city. During the past five years, he has enjoyed the distinction of being a Justice of the Peace. He is a member of the Wellington Hospital Trustees, and also sits as treasurer on the United District Charitable Aid Board, with which he has been connected for six or seven years. Councillor Harris was for some years president of the Wellington Hebrew Congregation, a position now held by Mr. Jacob Joseph. He represents the City Council as a member of the Dairy Industry Act and at the Municipal Conference.