William Downie Stewart, Sr.
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The Hon. Downie Stewart MP, MLC |
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Downie Stewart
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Dunedin |
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In office 1879 – 1881 |
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| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Dunedin West |
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In office 1884 – 1890 |
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| Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council | |
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In office 1890–1898 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 15 May 1842 Blair Drummond  Scotland
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| Died | 25 November 1898 (aged 56) New Zealand
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| Spouse(s) | Rachel Stewart (née Hepburn, d. 1878) Mary Stewart (née Thomson, m. 1881) |
| Children | Five by first wife, including Rachelina Hepburn Stewart, William Downie Stewart, Jr., George Hepburn Stewart, and Mary Downie Stewart; one daughter by second wife |
| Occupation | lawyer, politician |
| Religion | Presbyterian |
William Downie Stewart (15 May 1842 – 25 November 1898) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician and a lawyer.
Stewart was born in Blair Drummond near Stirling in Scotland. His parents were Alexander Stewart and Mary (née Downie). He commenced to study law in Scotland, but came to Dunedin aged 19 in 1861, arriving on the Robert Henderson on 8 October. In Dunedin, he continued his studies.
Stewart had eleven siblings, and over time nine of them also migrated to Dunedin. He married Rachel Stewart (née Hepburn), the youngest daughter of the early Dunedin settler George Hepburn. They had five children, four of whom survived into adulthood. All of these continued Stewart's work in public service. After Rachel's death in 1878, Stewart married Mary Thomson; they produced one child, a daughter. Both his widow and daughter left New Zealand shortly after his death.
Stewart joined the offices of Richmond and Gillies. In 1863, when the Otago and Southland district was constituted under the Supreme Court Act, Richmond became a judge and Stewart joined the office of Prendergast, Kenyon and Maddock. James Prendergast was later appointed Chief Justice of New Zealand. Stewart was admitted to the bar on 12 June 1867 and began practising on his own. Robert Stout worked for him for some time.
The resignation of Robert Stout triggered a by-election in the City of Dunedin electorate. Stewart won the 14 July 1879 by-election with a majority of 163 votes over his great friend Charles Stephen Reeves and entered Parliament. He was offered the position of Attorney-General, but declined.
Stewart was confirmed in the same electorate in the 1879 general election on 2 September. The three-member electorate was contested by six candidates. Thomas Dick, Richard Oliver and Stewart received 1140, 1044 and 989 votes, respectively. Stewart had a margin of 245 votes to the fourth-placed candidate.
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