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Leslie Lee (New Zealand politician)
George Leslie Lee (1814 – 15 September 1897) was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 1862 to 1870. A farmer by trade, he held significant land holdings. He acted as electoral officer in many elections in Canterbury. Early life and careerLee was born in 1814.[1] His parents were John Benjamin Lee and Amelia Lee (nee Knyvett) from Middlesex. He arrived in Lyttelton on the Stag on 2 August 1852. As Charlotte Godley had earlier written that he was "detained in England with a sick wife" but then arrived by himself, it is assumed that his first wife had died.[2] Lee bought the Highfield sheep run, which adjoined the later town Waiau in North Canterbury.[3] He sold Highfield in 1864 and bought Stoke Grange instead, which was split off from the Fernside run held by Charles Torlesse.[2] Political careerLee represented the Amuri electorate in the Nelson Provincial Council from 8 October 1855 to 16 December 1856.[4] He was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 24 July 1862 to 8 November 1870, when he resigned.[5] Soon after buying Stoke Grange, Lee stood for the Rangiora and Mandeville Road Board, and easily won the election in July 1864.[6] Lee represented the Oxford electorate on the Canterbury Provincial Council from April 1867 to October 1870. He was a member of the Executive Council from 10 June 1868 to 4 June 1869.[4] He was the returning officer for many elections in the wider Christchurch area.[7] Lee resigned all his positions in October 1870 as he went bankrupt, but the case never went to court.[2] Private lifeOn 21 May 1856 at Kaiapoi, Lee married Maria Fuller, the daughter of Lt-Col Fuller CB of Oxfordshire.[8] After his bankruptcy, they first lived at Styx Mill and then Avonside.[2] When the secretary of the Provincial Council resigned, Lee was one of seven applicants and was selected by the elected members in the first ballot with a clear majority.[2] Lee died on 15 September 1897 at his home in Avonside at age 83. He was survived by his wife; they had no children.[9][10] Lee was buried at Avonside Cemetery, which belongs to Holy Trinity Avonside.[11] References
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