Charles Lewis (New Zealand politician)

Charles Lewis
Portrait of Charles Lewis
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Christchurch
In office 13 February 1896 – 1901
Preceded by	William Pember Reeves
Succeeded by	George John Smith
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Courtenay
In office 1902 – 1908
Preceded by	new electorate
Succeeded by	electorate abolished
Personal details
Born	1857 Christchurch
Died	1927

Charles Lewis (1857 – 28 November 1927) was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Lewis was born in Christchurch and attended Christ's College in his home city, and Clifton and Malvern Colleges in England. Upon his return to New Zealand in 1874, he was employed as a farmer in Springfield, Ellesmere, and Brookside, until he inherited his father's farm in Halswell.

Lewis was a member of various local bodies, most importantly the Halswell Road Board. In the 1890 election, he was secretary to the election committee of William Rolleston, who stood in the Halswell electorate that year. Lewis himself was asked to stand in rural electorates in 1890 and 1893, but he refused; partially because of a weak constitution of his health.

When William Pember Reeves' appointment as Agent-General to the United Kingdom caused a vacancy in the City of Christchurch electorate, Lewis was on the committee of the National Association (i.e. the opposition) and was part of a small majority that decided that the resulting 1896 by-election should be contested by conservative interests. Together with two others, he was tasked with finding a suitable candidate, and it was him who informed the print media that a conservative candidate would stand. No candidate being found, Lewis saved the situation by consenting to become the candidate himself. Due to vote splitting between liberal candidates, he unexpectedly won the 13 February 1896 by-election.