Chairman of Committees (New Zealand Legislative Council)

The Chairman of Committees was an elected position of the New Zealand Legislative Council. The role was established in 1865 and existed until the abolition of the Legislative Council. The roles of the Chairman of Committees were to deputise for the Speaker, and to chair the House when it was in committee. The role of Chairman of Committees also existed for the House of Representatives.

Appointment

Initially, the Legislative Council elected its Chairman of Committees at the beginning of each parliamentary session, with the Legislative Council and the House of Representatives meeting at the same time. The Standing Orders were adjusted in 1928, providing for a three-year tenure in alignment with the electoral cycle of the House of Representatives.

Office holders

The following is a list of Chairmen of Committees of the Legislative Council:

Key

  Independent     Liberal     Ind. Labour League     United     Labour  

No.		Name	Potrait	Term start and end dates
	1	Mathew Richmond		1865	1879
	2	W. D. H. Baillie	75px	1879	1902
	3	William Cowper Smith		1902	1903
	4	John Rigg		1903	1904
	5	Richard Reeves		1904
	(3)	William Cowper Smith		1904	1906
	(5)	Richard Reeves		1906	1907
	(3)	William Cowper Smith		1907	1908
	(5)	Richard Reeves		1908	1910
	6	Walter Carncross		1910	1918
	7	Oliver Samuel		1918	1925
	8	John Barr	75px	1925	1930
	9	Edward Henry Clark		1931	1932
	10	Josiah Hanan	75px	1932	1939
	11	Bernard Martin	75px	1939	1948
	12	Michael Connelly	75px	1948	1950
	13	Thomas Bloodworth	75px	1950

References

• Wilson 1985, p. 168.
• Wilson 1985, pp. 168–169.