William Wilson McCardle

William Wilson McCardle JP (1 April 1844 – 4 January 1922) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council. Born in Scotland, he came to New Zealand as a young man and lived in a variety of places. He was a nurseryman and advocated for land reform. He established the town of Pahiatua and it was in the Wairarapa district that his local government involvement was most influential. He stood in a number of general elections for Parliament, but was never successful. A committed liberal politician, he was appointed to the Legislative Council by the first Ward Ministry in 1907 and served for one term until 1914.

Biography He was born in Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland, in 1844, and was educated at the local grammar school. He lost his father early, and due to other misfortunes, he decided to emigrate to New Zealand. He found employment as a shepherd on a station at Ashburton, where he stayed for two years. He was then for two years employed by John Greenaway, a Christchurch nurseryman, from whom he acquired gardening and orcharding skills.

In 1866 at Christchurch, McCardle married Janet Catherine Martin, daughter of Captain James Martin, master of the unfortunate coaster Margaret—a vessel built at Kaiwarra in the Wellington Harbour in 1845, and so completely lost on the way to Lyttelton in the following year that no trace of either ship or cargo was ever seen again. McCardle moved to Dunedin in 1869 and founded his own nursery, and some six years later sold out and established himself in the same line in Masterton. McCardle's apple orchard, stocked with its hundred fruit-bearing varieties, was soon the talk of the Wairarapa. There are conflicting accounts how the township came to its name, though. According to The Cyclopedia of New Zealand, it is Māori and means "The Home of the Gods".

For seven years, McCardle was a member of the Masterton School Committee, during which time he fought hard and successfully for the large new school which was at that time erected. As a member of the Wairarapa North County Council, McCardle, in company with George Beetham, represented the Alfredton riding, and got the county of Pahiatua formed into a separate riding of the Wairarapa North County, christening it 'Pahiatua'—a name which, correctly pronounced, is decidedly musical, and which in its meaning (it is Māori for 'The Home of the Gods') is also most poetic and classic. McCardle's next move in the founding of Pahiatua was to get the riding placed under the control of a Road Board, his efforts being acknowledged by his election to the position of first chairman. The next step was to form the county, when McCardle had the satisfaction of seeing fairly launched the scheme of special settlements which he had so consistently advocated and so successfully helped forward. As early as May 1876, McCardle explored the area of what became the county of Pahiatua; previously covered by dense bush, it was soon converted to farmland. Even then, as a member of the Wellington Waste Lands Board, he did all in his power to bring about the immediate settlement of the country he had explored. He introduced an association of some two hundred members, prepared to join in a special settlement scheme "on all fours" with the Acts subsequently passed in 1877 and 1879. In company with Alfred Renall of Masterton, McCardle waited on the Waste Lands Board, recommending the block as especially suitable for small farms settlements, and urging that it be set apart for these purposes. The Board, however, was deaf to all arguments at that time, stating that if the settlers wanted land they should be satisfied with second-class land instead of picking the best block in the province. But these settlers, led by McCardle, were not disposed to accept any but the best; they kept up the agitation until the Land Acts already mentioned were passed, and Pahiatua was the first block settled thereunder. He contested the electorate in the against William Cowper Smith and JH Baker and came third. Woodville, Baker and McCardle received 922, 761, and 452 votes, respectively. He did not contest the , but stood again in , when he came a distant last in the electorate against Alexander Hogg and Joseph Harkness. In the , he was one of five candidates in the newly formed electorate. He came third, beaten by John O'Meara, who also stood for the Liberal Party.

In the , he contested the electorate against William Massey. On 22 January 1907, McCardle was appointed to the Legislative Council. His seven-year term ended on 21 January 1914 and he was not reappointed.

Family and death His son, also called William Wilson McCardle, was Mayor of Pahiatua. He died in office on 23 October 1914. McCardle died on 4 January 1922 at Walton.