The life and times of Colonel Malone

William George Malone was born in Lewisham, England in 1859. The second of five children, Malone was educated in the Catholic School system in both England and France. Finishing school at the age of 17, Malone returned from France and began working in a London office, as well as enlisting with the City of Westminster Rifle Volunteers and the Royal Artillery Volunteers.

These enlistments marked the start of a close association with the military that followed him throughout his life.

Encouraged by his elder brother Austin who had already emigrated, Malone travelled to New Zealand as a steerage passenger on the Western Monarch, arriving in New Zealand in January 1880.

The Evening Post records the ship's arrival: "this vessel was towed into port by the SS Wanaka last evening. She has made the voyage out in 89 days, and the passengers, of whom there are 200, are all in good health.

There was one birth (stillborn), and one death, that of a second class passenger, from debility, named Eliza Kelly Christie, aged 60.

The passengers speak in very high terms of the treatment they received at the hands of the officers and crew. Captain Watson and the Surgeon Superintendent Dr Veneberg, are to be presented with a testimonial.

The ship will be berthed at the wharf on Monday.

Her passengers were landed by the Moa this afternoon."

On arrival in New Zealand, Malone joined his brother in signing up to serve with the Armed Constabulary.

The brothers were both based in Opunake at this time.

After two years, Malone left the constabulary and worked in Opunake before the two brother bought a large block of bush country just outside of Stratford, taking up farming.

Within a couple of years the bush country had been transformed into productive farmland with the homestead known as "Farlands".

The brothers were joined by their mother and two sisters in Stratford and Malone continued his military career by joining the Stratford Rifles where he held the role of instructor.

In 1886 Malone married Elinor Penn with whom he had a daughter, Nora, and four sons, Edmund, Terry, Brian and Maurice.

During this time, as well as farming the land, Malone became involved in local politics and was a prominent member of the community.

In January 1891 Malone was appointed the first clerk, treasurer and collector of Stratford County Council.

He also carried out functions such as acting coroner and registrar of dogs.

Around this time he also began a business in Stratford as a land and commission agent.

Malone was appointed a Justice of the Peace in December 1892, and he began to study law, passing his final law examination in March 1894, being admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court in April 1894.

He qualified as a barrister in 1899.

In February 1903, Malone and two other Stratford lawyers, James McVeagh and WD Anderson, formed a partnership and opened an office in New Plymouth.

The partners eventually opened several offices around Taranaki.

Elinor died during childbirth in 1904, their child, a boy, also died.

A year later, Malone married Ida Katharine Withers. Ida had been a friend of Elinor's and tutored the Malone children. Malone and Ida had two sons, Denis and Barney, and a daughter, Molly.

By 1907, Malone had developed a strong interest in politics, running for Parliament for the Taranaki electorate as an independent Liberal in 1907 and 1908.

He was not successful either time. In his campaigns, Malone promoted a vigorous land settlement policy, with development of roading across the country.

He also opposed party government, being reported in an election speech as saying if the London County Council, with five million people could do without party government, then a country such as New Zealand with less than a million could do without it perfectly well.

In the 1908 election, Malone had 30 per cent of the electorate vote.

Malone sold his share of the law practice in 1911, settling back in Stratford.

He started up another law firm, but had more free time, and began again to focus on his military interests.

See this week's Central Link on page 5 of the Stratford Press for details of the commemoration plans in Stratford.