William McLean

William McLean (1845 – 25 August 1914) was a 19th-century Liberal Party Member of Parliament in Wellington, New Zealand.

Early life McLean was born in Grantown, Scotland, in 1845, the youngest son of John McLean, a shoemaker. He was adopted by a parish priest at an early age. Aged 13, he moved to Rochdale to work as a cotton spinner. His employer suspended operations in 1863 in the Lancashire Cotton Famine caused by the American Civil War, and McLean emigrated to New Zealand for the Otago gold rush. and went to the gold fields in Central Otago. He was successful and could open a store in the Bread and Water gully. When word of the West Coast gold rush arrived, he went to Hokitika at once. He broke his arm digging at Lake Kaniere and had to go to Christchurch for medical treatment, as there were no doctors on the West Coast yet. He returned to the West Coast, and then back to Central Otago, before settling in Reefton.

McLean contested the electorate in the , but was beaten by Alfred Newman. He unsuccessfully contested the three-member electorate in the , where he came seventh.

He represented the City of Wellington electorate from an 1892 by-election to the 1893 general election, when he was defeated. In 1892, he narrowly defeated the later Prime Minister Francis Bell by 3388 votes to 3245.

McLean contested the electorate in the and came a very close second to John Aitken, with just 19 votes (0.32%) between them. He contested the Wellington East electorate again in , but the Liberal vote was split by another Liberal candidate, George Winder. In the first ballot, both Liberal candidates were eliminated. This left the Independent Political Labour League (IPLL) candidate, David McLaren, face a conservative candidate and with many Liberal voters transferring their allegiance to McLaren, he became the only candidate of the IPLL who was ever elected to the House of Representatives.

Later life In 1898, McLean imported two Benz cars from Paris; they were believed to be the first motor vehicles in New Zealand. Parliament passed the McLean Motor-car Act, setting out the rules under which McLean and others could operate cars.

McLean's wife died on 30 January 1904. William McLean died on 25 August 1914 at Nurse Major's Private Hospital in Wellington. He was survived by two sons and three daughters. and other family member who share the same plot (38 G) include his wife, his son Sydney, a daughter in law, and grandchildren.