Ex-Mayors.
The first Mayor of New Plymouth was Mr. A. Standish, who held office for two years, and was succeeded by Mr. A. C. Fookes, who was Mayor for one year. Then followed Mr. J. Davidson, for two years, and he, in turn, was succeeded by Mr. W. Bayly, who held office from 1881 to 1884, and again from 1886 to 1888. During the two intervening years, Mr. J. Paul was Mayor. Mr. J. B. Roy became Mayor in 1888, held office for one year, and, four years later, was again elected, and remained Mayor till 1897. The interval of four years between Mr. Roy's terms was filled by Mr. J. Bellringer. Mr. E. Dockrill succeeded Mr. Roy, and held office till the end of April, 1903. Mr. R. Cock held office for the three years ending April, 1906, when Mr. Dockrill was again elected. Of the nine gentlemen who have occupied the Mayor's chair, three are dead; namely, Messrs J. Davidson, J. Bellringer and W. Bayly. Before the incorporation of the borough, New Plymouth was managed by a Town Board.
Mr. Arthur Standish,
who was the first Mayor of New Plymouth, is a native of Yorkshire, England, and arrived in New Zealand with his parents when very young. He studied law with Messrs Merriman and Jackson, barristers and solicitors, in Auckland, and was subsequently admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court. Mr. Standish served as one of the early volunteers under Major Lloyd. Shortly after the breaking out of the war, he received a commission in the New Zealand Militia, and continued in active service until the conclusion of the Maori troubles in the Taranaki district. He then retired with the rank of captain, and received the New Zealand medal. In 1861, Mr. Standish commenced to practise as a barrister and solicitor in New Plymouth. He was appointed Crown Solicitor in 1863, and was one of the first to receive that appointment. As a member of the old Provincial Council, and as a member of the Provincial Government. Mr. Standish, with his colleagues,
the Hon. Thomas Kelly and the late Sir Harry Atkinson, was instrumental in passing many measures for the benefit of the district. He was one of the first members of the New Plymouth Harbour Board, and did not retire until its prosperity seemed assured. Mr. Standish has been a member of the Taranaki Education Board and Land Board for over twenty years, and during his mayoralty obtained from the Government a grant of two thousand acres of land at Stratford as an endowment for the Borough Council. He has been an ardent sportsman, and has successfully ridden his own horses at many races. Mr. Standish resides at “Witiora,” in the suburbs, and is deservedly held in high esteem by the community, a proof of which is that he has never been beaten at any election. He married a daughter of the late Rev. Henry Handley Brown, of “Welbourne,” Taranaki, and sister of Mr. Henry Brown, sometime a member of the House of Representatives, and now (1906) in business as a sawmiller at Inglewood.
Mr. Albert Cracroft Fookes,
who was the second Mayor of New Plymouth, and held office from the 18th of December, 1878, till the 17th of December, 1879, was born in Kent,
England, in the year 1839, educated in Oxfordshire, and, after leaving school, was for seven years with a banking firm in London. Mr. Fookes came to New Zealand in 1861, by the ship “Black Eagle,” and shortly after joined the Wellington Defence Force as a trooper, on the breaking out of the Taranaki war. Having been promoted and transferred to the Taranaki Military Settlers, he served with the rank
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of lieutenant through the East and West Coast campaigns from 1864 to 1868, and was awarded the New Zealand war medal for his services. On the conclusion of the war, Mr. Fookes entered into business as a storekeeper at Waverley, but removed to New Plymouth in 1876, and successfully established the Midhirst Special Settlement. He carried on business in New Plymouth as a land broker for over twenty years. Mr. Fookes has served twice on the Borough Council, and was connected with the New Plymouth High School Board of Governors and school committee for several years.
Mr. James Davidson,
the third Mayor of New Plymouth, was returned on the 17th of December, 1879, when he succeeded Mr. A. C. Fookes. He held office until the 21st of December, 1881. Mr. Davidson was connected with a legal office, and died at Waipuku.
Mr. William Bayly,
who was the fourth Mayor of New Plymouth, took office on the 21st of December, in the year 1881, and held it until the 17th of December, 1884. On the 15th of December,
1886, he again became Mayor, and held office till the 19th of December, 1888. During his term the waterworks, in which he took great interest, were completed. Mr. Bayly devoted so much attention to the finances of the borough that their readjustment led to a considerable saving. As a colonist, he did much in other ways to advance the welfare of the district. He was born in Devonshire, England, and came to New Plymouth with his parents by the ship “Amelia Thompson,” in 1841, and took part in the pioneer work of the settlement. On the breaking out of the native disturbances, Mr. Bayly joined the Taranaki militia, served throughout the war under Major Brown, was present at all the chief engagements, was wounded at the battle of Waireka, and carried the unextracted bullet until his death. For his services he received the New Zealand war medal. On the conclusion of the war, Mr. Bayly bought a farm at Stony River, and after a trip to England, in 1870, established himself as a farmer and grazier. During the troublesome time of Te Whiti's ploughing mania, between 1879 and 1881, Mr. Bayly was captain of the Okato Rifle Volunteers on the Irontier. His farm at Stony River contained about 710 acres; and he also had 1900 acres at Warea, 570 acres at Rahotu, and 306 acres at Waiwakaiho. Mr. Bayly was well known in the district, and was held in great esteem by his fellow citizens. He was a member of the old Provincial Council, and of the Taranaki County Council for several years, and was also a member of the Harbour Board for many years. He was also, president and vice-president of the Taranaki Jockey Club, and took a great interest in all athletic matters. Mr. Bayly was a shareholder in the Moturoa Freezing Works, to the success of which he largely contributed. He died on the 6th of July, 1902, leaving a widow, four daughters, and one son.
Mr. James Paul,
who was Mayor of New Plymouth from the 17th of December,
1884, till the 15th of December, 1886, was born in Scotland, received his education in his native town, and came to New Zealand by the ship “Jura,” in 1862. After a short stay in Dunedin, he removed to New Plymouth, and started his well known and successful brewery in 1864. During the native disturbances, Mr. Paul saw active service in the local forces. He is a prominent settler in the district, and has done much for New Plymouth. Mr. Paul has been connected with the Taranaki Club since its inception, and filled the position of honorary secretary for twenty-seven years. He is a Freemason, and has held office on several occasions. Mr. Paul is married, and has four sons and one daughter.
Mr. John Barton Roy
was Mayor of New Plymouth from the 19th of December, 1888, to the 18th of December, 1889. He was again elected, and held office from the 26th of December, 1893, till the 25th of November, 1897. He had previously served as a councillor of the borough for three years. Mr. Roy was born at Trentham, near Wellington, and was educated at the Otago High School, and also at Nelson College. He was trained for the legal profession in Nelson, where he was admitted a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court, in December, 1876. In the year 1879, he commenced the practise of his profession in New Plymouth, and since that time has been legal adviser to a considerable number of local bodies. Mr. Roy has been closely associated with the institutions of Taranaki, and has taken a deep interest in education. Since the year 1889 he has been a member of the Board of Governors of the New Plymouth High School, and occupied the chair for five years. Mr. Roy is senior partner in the firm of Roy and Wilson.
Mr. Richard Cock,
J.P., was elected Mayor of New Plymouth on the 23rd of April, 1903, and held office continuously until after the election in April, 1906, when he was not a candidate. Mr. Cock was born in 1851 in New Plymouth, and, like most Taranaki boys, received his early education at Crompton's private school. At the age of twelve, he joined Dr. Humphries, who owned a chemist's shop at first, but subsequently, in conjunction with his son, established, and successfully carried on for years a wine and spirit store. For fifteen years Mr. Cock served Messrs Humphries, and then started on his own account, by leasing a small shop in Brougham Street, where he created a successful business. Mr. Cock filled the position of chairman of the Harbour Board, and became a member of the Sinking Fund Commissioners, with
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Major Parris and Mr. H. Weston as colleagues. He is a trustee of the New Plymouth Savings Bank, director of the New Plymouth Sash and Door Factory and Taranaki Building Society, trustee of the Recreation Grounds Board, president of the New Plymouth Bowling Club, and for ten years he was a member of the Borough Council, before he became Mayor in April, 1903. Mr. Cock was one of the founders of the Chamber of Commerce, its first vice-president, and subsequently its president. As a clerk of the scales and a steward of the Taranaki Jockey Club, he has given uniform satisfaction. Mr. Cock, together with Messrs Newton King and J. George, was one of the promoters of the Crown Dairy Company, whose operations extend as far as Woodville, and which is the largest exporter of butter in New Zealand. Mr. Cock married Miss Taylor, daughter of Mrs Noonan, and has two sons and one daughter.
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