Robert William Dyer | |
|---|---|
 Robert William Dyer in 1901 | |
| 14th Mayor of Hamilton | |
| In office May 1901 –May 1903 | |
| Preceded by | George Edgecumbe |
| Succeeded by | Charles Barton |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1859 Mahurangi |
| Died | 3 August 1939 (age 79-80) Napier |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Augusta Minnitt (m. 1885) |
| Occupation | solicitor |
Robert William Dyer (1859-1939) was a solicitor, judge and the mayor of Hamilton, New Zealand from 1901 to 1903.
Robert was articled to E. A. Mackechnie, a leading Auckland solicitor, and admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court at the unusually early age of age of 21 [1] in 1881. [2] [3] He became a leading Auckland solicitor before moving to the Waikato, to enter into partnership with Sir Frederick Whitaker, of Hamilton, [1] managing the Kihikihi and then the Cambridge branch of the business, before moving to Hamilton in 1889, [4] when Sir Frederick's health was failing. He became registrar of deeds in Invercargill in 1903, [4] then in 1905, a stipendiary magistrate in Auckland, [5] then Rotorua and, about 1918, in Hawke's Bay. After nine years he retired to Napier. [1]
As stipendiary magistrate at Whakatāne, he gave evidence in the lengthy case against Rua Kenana Hepetipa in 1916. [6]
Robert was born in Mahurangi, the son of Robert Coates Dyer, at that time a farmer, who subsequently became a member of Auckland Provincial Council and later a teacher at the Church of England Grammar School, Parnell, and then headmaster at Cambridge District High School. [7] Robert went to his father's Parnell school and to St. John's College, Tamaki. [1]
On June 23, 1885, at St Paul's Church, Auckland Robert was married to Elizabeth Augusta Minnitt, eldest daughter of Major Charles Goring Minnitt, [8] late of the Waikato Militia, [9] which he commanded at Kihikihi. [4] She was a granddaughter of Sir Frederick Whitaker. [10]
He was survived by three sons and two daughters. [1]
He died on 5 August 1939 at his home on Lighthouse Road in Napier, aged 81. [14] His wife died in 1953 [11]
Robert was elected to Hamilton Borough Council in 1899 [15] and was Mayor of Hamilton from 8 May 1901 [16] until 13 May 1903, [1] He had lost mayoral elections in 1898 [17] and 1899, [18] but was elected unopposed in 1901 [19] and 1902. [20] In summing up his 3½ years on the council, he said the streets were in better order, but regretted making no progress with a replacement of the Union Bridge and not completing the water supply scheme. Money had been spent on a dinner for the prime minister, [21] possibly a reason for his obituary describing him as an ardent supporter of Richard Seddon. [1]