Jackson Palmer

Born in Belfast, Ireland, Palmer came to New Zealand as an infant. He was educated at Auckland Grammar School and was a lawyer at Paeroa.^[2] Later, Jackson Palmer was chief judge of the Native Land Court.^[3]

In 1887 Palmer stood for Parliament unsuccessfully in the Rodney electorate.^[4] He then represented the Waitemata (1890–1893) and Ohinemuri (1899–1902) electorates in the New Zealand House of Representatives.^[5] In-between he unsuccessfully contested a by-election for the Waitemata seat in 1894, which was won by future Prime Minister William Massey.^[6]

For his entire political career Palmer was an Independent Liberal.^[7] He declined the Premier John Ballance's invitation to join the Council of the Liberal Federation in 1891.^[8]

Palmer died in Wellington on 13 August 1919,^[9] and was buried at Karori Cemetery.^[1]

• Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-014-3.