John Bathgate

John Bathgate (10 August 1809 – 21 September 1886) was a New Zealand politician, and Minister of Justice and Commissioner of Stamps from 1872 to 1874.

While a boy, the family moved to Peebles where his father had a teaching position.

After school, he went to West Scotland to act as a private secretary and then to Edinburgh for an apprenticeship.

[2] He was chosen by English backers as manager for the new Bank of Otago and emigrated to New Zealand within months.

[1] There was a great depression during the mid-1860s and Bathgate had lost money to the Commercial Banking Co., and had allowed the Southland Provincial Council to overdraw well beyond the agreed limit.