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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Auckland Provincial District]

Mr. Frederick Joseph Moss

Mr. Frederick Joseph Moss, who in three parliaments represented the constituency of Parnell, has been a prominent colonist for nearly forty years. Mr. Moss was born at St. Helena in 1829, and was educated at the head school of the Honourable East India Company, then Lords Proprietors of that island. He went as a youth to Port Elizabeth (Cape Colony), and entered the office of a relative in that city. In 1846 he did burgher duty in the Kaffir War, and in 1859, after visiting Natal, Kaffraria, and other parts of the South African territory, decided on emigrating to New Zealand. Arriving at Lyttelton at the close of 1859, he entered into business, but took no part in politics beyond actively supporting Mr. Moorhouse in the projected tunnel and railway from Lyttelton. On the discovery of gold in Otago in 1861, Mr. Moss opened a branch business in Dunedin, and finally removed to that city. He was elected in 1862, a member of the provincial council of Otago. The province was at that time in great financial difficulty, owing to the sudden expenditure in opening up the goldfields, and the refusal of the London Stock Exchange to recognise provincial loans. Under these circumstances Mr. Moss was induced to accept the office of treasurer and ultimately that of leader of the provincial “ministry.” page 107 In 1866 his government was defeated by Sir Julius Vogel, who became his successor. Mr. Moss was able to hand over the treasury with expenses of government materially reduced, the finances restored to order, and a considerable cash balance at command. He had always been a strong supporter of a railway policy, but held that money should only be borrowed for work deliberately decided upon in advance, to avoid a demoralising and wasteful scramble. With this view his government had completed and laid before the Otago Council in 1865 detailed surveys and estimates for what afterwards became the Dunedin and Clutha railway. Circumstances did not then however permit the raising of the requisite loan for the work. In 1868, Mr. Moss joined in the emigration from Otago to Fiji and settled as a cotton-planter on the Rewa river. He was, however, compelled by ill-health to leave Fiji for Auckland, where, in 1876, he was elected as member for Parnell in the General Assembly. He held the seat till 1890, when he accepted the post of British Resident at the Cook Islands, recently placed under British protection. In New Zealand politics, Mr. Moss was a persistent opponent of the public works loans, on the ground that they should only be authorised for works deliberately adopted beforehand. He was also an earnest opponent of the abolition of provincial institutions, regarding the principle on which they were founded as essential to local government and local responsibility, without which there could be neither economy nor permanent financial security in a country like New Zealand. As Resident in the Cook Islands, Mr. Moss established a federation, a revenue, and a regular civil government, with schools for the teaching of English, which he regards as indispensable to the success of native (Maori) self-government. Mr. Moss worked hard as a politician, and took a most intelligent interest in many matters beyond the scope of ordinary men; it was very fitting that, after a long struggle with duller reformers, he should be placed in a position where his aspirations to be of real service to humanity are less thwarted by the comparative inertia of his fellow-workers. He was succeeded at Rarotonga in 1899 by Lieutenant-Colonel Gudgeon. Mr. Moss is the author of a book “Through Atolls and Islands” (Sampson Low, London) giving the experience gained from his wide acquaintance with the Pacific Islands; and of a very full “School History of New Zealand” (published by H. Brett, Auckland).