George John Smith

The Honourable George John Smith CBE
George John Smith
Member of Parliament for City of Christchurch
In office 1893 – 1899
Preceded by	Ebenezer Sandford
Succeeded by	Harry Ell
In office 1901 – 1902
Preceded by	Charles Lewis
Succeeded by	Thomas Davey
Personal details
Born	1862 Consett
Died	1946
Political party	Independent
Spouse(s)	married 1887 to the only daughter of the late Mr. R. Dawsson

Colonel George John Smith CBE (1862–1946) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the City of Christchurch electorate in the South Island, and later a member of the Legislative Council.

Smith was born in Consett in County Durham and educated at the Wesleyan Church School in Newcastle upon Tyne. Following that, he worked at the office of the Government solicitors.

He came to New Zealand in 1879. He was a lawyer and businessman in Christchurch. He was a councillor on the Sydenham Borough Council. A strong prohibitionist, Smith was elected to the Sydenham Licensing Committee in 1891, which was determined to refuse all licenses in the borough. Several members including Smith were removed from this position by order of the Supreme Court for "incurable bias".

Smith then stood for parliament. In the 1893 election, he came second in the three-member City of Christchurch electorate, and thus entered the House of Representatives. He was re-elected in 1896 (coming second in the electorate), but defeated in 1899. He was returned to parliament again at the 1901 City of Christchurch by-election triggered by the resignation of Charles Lewis. Smith was an Independent MP for his entire parliamentary career.

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1918 New Year Honours.

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