Hon George Waterhouse

George Marsden Waterhouse

03 September 1830

Pre-Party System

Former Member

The Province

Legislative Council

03 July 1851

George Waterhouse migrated with his family at the age of 15 to Hobart Town in 1839, before travelling to Adelaide in 1843 where he became a successful merchant. He stood for East Torrens in 1851 but resigned three years later, only to stand again in 1857 before resigning again after refusing office in B.T. Finniss' first ministry. An interest in the economic development of the colony and belief in free trade were his platform for election to the Legislative Council, where he advocated uniform tariffs for Australia.

After Thomas Reynolds ended his term as Premier in 1861, Waterhouse formed a government with the single intention of finalising a motion in relation to Justice Boothby, a judge in the Supreme Court who was causing difficulties by his objection to the legitimacy of the Appeals Court under the new Constitution. Waterhouse resigned his ministry after this task was completed, but was persuaded to reform another government which lasted until 1863 before collapsing in the face of accusations of financial irregularities and alleged misappropriation of funds.

Waterhouse migrated to New Zealand in 1869. In 1870 he was appointed to the New Zealand Legislative Council. In October 1872 he became Premier (now Prime Minister) of New Zealand, remaining in office until March 1873.

He continued to serve in the Legislative Council, becoming Speaker of the Council in April 1887 (serving until September of that year), before ill-health forced him to retire from the Council in 1890. He subsequently returned to England, where he died in 1906.

Premier of New Zealand 1872-73

06 August 1906