Title: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts]

Author: Cyclopedia Company Limited

Publication details: The Cyclopedia Company, Limited, 1908, Christchurch

Part of: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand

License: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 New Zealand Licence

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His Worship The Mayor, Mr. Samuel Carnell, J.P., was first elected to the Mayoral chair in 1904, and in the following year he was again elected unopposed. He was born in Nottinghamshire, England, in the year 1832, was educated at Old Lenton, and was brought up as a mechanic in connection with the lace industry. He turned his attention to photography, and after the discovery of the collodion process, in 1852, left for New Zealand, arriving in Auckland by the “Caduceus” in 1862. He was employed as operator by Messrs Crombie and Webster, photographers, of that city, and on the outbreak of the Hokitika gold “rush,” in 1865, he left for the Coast to try his luck at the diggings. Not meeting with the success he anticipated, he went to Nelson, where he opened a photographic studio for six months, then returned to Auckland, and finally removed to Napier in 1869, where he established a studio. In 1905 he sold out his business to his nephew, Mr. Bunting, and he now (1906) lives in retirement. Mr. Carnell has always taken great interest in public matters, and supported the liberal party. In 1894 he stood for the Napier seat, defeating his opponent, Mr. Swan, by 520 votes, and represented the district for three years in the liberal interest. He holds advanced views on the “Land Question,” believing that the only way to prevent the possesion of large estates is to limit by law the amount of land one man can hold. He has always been opposed to the totalisator, and in the session of 1895 carried a motion in favour of its abolition, and in the session of 1896 he drafted a Bill to give effect to that resolution. The Bill passed its second reading by a majority of nine votes, but was blocked in committee, and slaughtered with the “innocents.” For many years Mr. Carnell has been a member of the Napier Hospital Board, is a member of the Napier Harbour Board, and was a member of the Land Board. He also served for some years as a member of the local school committee, and is a Freemason.