William Henry Eyes
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William Henry Eyes | |
|---|---|
 Eyes in the 1870s | |
| 5th Superintendent of Marlborough Province | |
| In office 23 October 1865 – February 1870 | |
| Preceded by | Arthur Seymour |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Seymour |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Wairau | |
| In office 15 February 1861 – December 1871 | |
| Preceded by | Frederick Weld |
| Succeeded by | Arthur Seymour |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1819 Liverpool, England |
| Died | 12 April 1907 (aged 87–88) Wellington, New Zealand |
William Henry Eyes (1819 – 12 April 1907) was a British-born, New Zealand politician who was the fifth Superintendent of the Marlborough Province, and who represented the Wairau electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives for many years. Born in England, Eyes had emigrated to Australia in 1839. He was jailed at Parramatta Gaol for a year before he was pardoned, after which he immediately emigrated to New Zealand.
Eyes was born in Liverpool, England, in 1819, his grandfather was Charles Eyes (c.1754–1803) surveyor and architect. He received his education in Knutsford, Cheshire, England. He had an office job with the cotton brokers Gladstone and Sergeantson in Liverpool. He emigrated to Australia on the Bishop Heber and he arrived there in early 1839. After 1841, he had an interest in a cattle station in Batemans Bay.[1] In July 1844, he was tried for a rape of a nine-year-old girl, but the jury found him guilty of common assault only, and he was sentenced to three years of imprisonment at Parramatta Gaol.[2] He was, however, pardoned after just one year and travelled to New Zealand in the company of his cousin, the Revd C. L. Reay, in the Star of China to Nelson.[3] His cousin had come to New Zealand with the Church Mission Society in 1843. They arrived in Nelson on 9 August 1845.[1][4]