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REES, WILLIAM LEE (1836-1912) was born in Bristol, the son of Dr James Rees, who died while he was an infant. Having received private tuition in early life, Rees came to Australia as a young man, and was articled to Carrington and Cresswell, barristers and solicitors, in Melbourne. He did not complete his articles, but turned towards religion, and after the approved course of study became a minister of the Congregational Church.

After spending four years in the ministry at Melbourne and Beechworth, he resumed his legal studies and was called to the bar (1865). He practised in Melbourne for a few months, and in 1866 came to Dunedin, where he was admitted to the New Zealand bar. For three years he practised at Hokitika, and then removed to Auckland. His first brief was for the plaintiffs in the case of Whitaker and Lundon v. Graham. In the last days of provincialism Rees was elected to the Provincial Council for Auckland East (Apr 1875). Here he came into close association with Sir George Grey (then Superintendent of the province), to whom he was for a while provincial solicitor. In 1876 he was elected to Parliament for Auckland City East, and he co-operated actively with Grey in the formation of the young New Zealand party and the enunciation of a Liberal policy. Rees was offered the Attorney-generalship, but declined, proposing Stout as giving the south better representation in the ministry. During this Parliament he made a stonewalling speech of 24 hours' duration. Having moved to Napier, Rees lost ground in his constituency and was defeated in Auckland North by T. Peacock (1881). During 1879 he settled in Gisborne. Though always closely associated with Grey, and taking a large part in the formulation of the Liberal policy, especially the suffrage proposals, Rees now remained outside Parliament for ten years. In 1885 he propounded his cooperative land and labour company, and in 1888 he visited England to promote a scheme of co-operative colonisation. Rees was again elected, for City of Auckland, in 1890 and took part in launching the Liberal policy under Ballance and Seddon. He was chairman of committees (1891-93). In 1893 he accepted the challenge of Cadman to contest a seat of his own choosing. He selected the City of Auckland and was defeated, thus retiring from politics. He was chairman of the native land commission, and was for many years interested in the East Coast native lands trust.

As a writer Rees was constructive and forceful. His first book, The Coming Crisis, appeared in 1874 and his novel, Sir Gilbert Leigh, in 1878. He published also an economic essay From Poverty to Plenty (1888), The Science of Wealth in the Light of the Scriptures and (in collaboration with his daughter, Lily Rees) The Life and Times of Sir George Grey (1892). Rees married in 1863 a daughter of Opie Staite. Miss Rosemary Rees, author and actress, is a daughter. He died on 18 May 1912.

N.Z.P.D., 1876-81; 1890-93 (and 27 Jun 1912); Auckland P.C. Proc., 1875; Cycl. N.Z., ii; Rees, op. cit.; N.Z. Times, 20 May 1912; Taranaki News, 9 Dec 1890; N.Z. Herald, 27 Aug 1885.