Mayor of Christchurch facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mayor of Christchurch
Coat of arms of Christchurch (Shield-only version)
Incumbent Phil Mauger since 8 October 2022
Christchurch City Council
Style	His Worship
Member of	Christchurch City Council
Seat	Christchurch Civic Offices
Appointer	Electorate of Christchurch
Term length	Three years, renewable
Inaugural holder	William Wilson
Formation	1868
Deputy	Pauline Cotter
Salary	$200,000
Website	Official Website: https://www.ccc.govt.nz/the-council/mayor-and-councillors/the-mayor/

The Mayor of Christchurch is the main leader of the local government in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch is one of many cities in New Zealand that has a mayor. The mayor leads the Christchurch City Council and is chosen by the people of Christchurch in an election.

The current mayor is Phil Mauger, who was elected in 2022. The deputy mayor, who helps the mayor, is Pauline Cotter.

Christchurch first had leaders called "chairmen" of the town council. In 1868, the chairman became the city's first mayor. This mayor was chosen by the other city councillors. Since 1875, the people of Christchurch have voted directly for their mayor. The first election where people voted was in 1876.

History of Christchurch's Leaders

Early Chairmen of the Town Council

Christchurch officially became a city on 31 July 1856. It was the first city in New Zealand! Before there were mayors, the city was led by chairmen of the town council starting in 1862. Five different chairmen led the city in these early years:

	Name	Portrait	Term
1	John Hall		1862–1863
2	John Ollivier		1863–1864
3	Isaac Luck		1865
4	Edward Bishop		1866
5	William Wilson		1867

How Mayors Were Chosen

On 10 June 1868, the town council met to choose Christchurch's first mayor. Back then, city councillors were elected for three years. Each year, they would pick one of themselves to be the mayor. The public did not vote for the mayor directly at that time.

At the meeting, the councillors decided that William Wilson, who was the last chairman, would become the first mayor. This change happened because of a new law called the Municipal Corporations Act 1867.

Christchurch has had 47 mayors in total. The mayor who served the longest was Sir Hamish Hay. He was mayor for 15 years, which is five terms! The shortest time a mayor served was Tommy Taylor in 1911. He passed away just three months after being elected. William Wilson's first term was also very short, lasting only six months.

So far, Vicki Buck and Lianne Dalziel have been the only female mayors of Christchurch.

The way mayors were chosen changed in 1875. A new law said that mayors had to be elected by all eligible voters, not just by the councillors. Fred Hobbs was the only person nominated in 1875, so he became mayor without a public vote.

James Gapes was the first mayor to be elected by public vote on 20 December 1876. He officially started his role on 2 January 1877.

At first, mayors served for one year. This changed in 1915 when elections started happening every two years. Then, in 1935, the mayoral term was changed to three years, which is how long it is today.

Five mayors have served more than one term, but not in a row:

• James Gapes
• Walter Cooper
• Charles Louisson
• Charles Gray
• Robert Macfarlane

Recent Mayors

Four former mayors of Christchurch are still alive:

• Vicki Buck (served 1989–1998)
• Garry Moore (served 1998–2007)
• Bob Parker (served 2007–2013)
• Lianne Dalziel (served 2013–2022)

List of Mayors

	Name	Portrait	Term
1	William Wilson		1868
2	John Anderson		1868–1869
3	Andrew Duncan		1869–1870
4	James Jameson		1870–1871
5	Henry Sawtell		1871–1872
6	Edward Bishop		1872–1873
7	Michael Hart		1873–1874
8	Fred Hobbs		1875–1876
9	James Gapes		1876–1877
10	Henry Thomson		1877–1878
11	Charles Thomas Ick		1878–1880
(9)	James Gapes		1880–1881
12	George Ruddenklau		1881–1883
13	Charles Hulbert		1883–1885
14	Aaron Ayers		1885–1887
15	Charles Louisson		1887–1889
16	Samuel Manning		1889–1890
17	Charles Gray		1890–1891
18	William Prudhoe		1891–1892
19	Eden George		1892–1893
20	Thomas Gapes		1893–1894
21	Walter Cooper		1894–1895
22	Harry Beswick		1895–1896
(21)	Walter Cooper		1896–1897
(15)	Charles Louisson		1897–1899
23	William Reece		1899–1901
24	Arthur Rhodes		1901–1902
25	Henry Wigram		1902–1904
(17)	Charles Gray		1904–1905
26	John Hall		1906–1907
27	George Payling		1907–1908
28	Charles Allison		1908–1911
29	Tommy Taylor		1911†
30	John Joseph Dougall		1911–1912
31	Henry Holland		1912–1919
32	Henry Thacker		1919–1923
33	James Flesher		1923–1925
34	Rev John Archer		1925–1931
35	Dan Sullivan		1931–1936
36	John Beanland		1936–1938
37	Robert Macfarlane		1938–1941
38	Ernest Andrews		1941–1950
(37)	Robert Macfarlane		1950–1958
39	George Manning		1958–1968
40	Ron Guthrey		1968–1971
41	Neville Pickering		1971–1974
42	Hamish Hay		1974–1989
43	Vicki Buck		1989–1998
44	Garry Moore		1998–2007
45	Bob Parker		2007–2013
46	Lianne Dalziel		2013–2022
47	Phil Mauger		2022–present

Deputy Mayors of Christchurch

The job of deputy mayor was created in 1917. Alfred Williams was the first person to be elected to this role.

Some deputy mayors later became mayors themselves: John Beanland, James Flesher, Dan Sullivan, Ernest Andrews, and George Manning.

Also, some people were mayors first, and then became deputy mayors: Henry Thacker, John Archer, Robert Macfarlane, and Vicki Buck.

The current deputy mayor is Pauline Cotter, who started in October 2022.

Timeline of Mayors