John Cargill

Who was John Cargill?

John Cargill was a New Zealand politician. He was the son of William Cargill, one of Otago's most prominent settlers.

He was elected to the 1st New Zealand Parliament as a representative of the Dunedin Country electorate, which covered rural Otago, Southland, and Fiordland. He was re-elected for the 2nd Parliament, serving alongside his father, but resigned in 1858. He later served in the 4th Parliament, representing the electorate of Bruce. He also participated in Otago Provincial politics.

After running into financial difficulties, Cargill left New Zealand for England in 1884, and went on to British Columbia about three years later. He died in the Okanagan district of British Columbia in 1898. He is buried in the Armstrong Pioneer Cemetery just north of Vernon, BC, Canada.