page_title: John Aitken (politician)
section_title: Political career
hierarchical_section_title: John Aitken (politician) / Biography / Political career
caption_attribution_description: English: John G. W. Aitken Mayor of Wellington and Chairman of the Wellington Patriotic Fund Meeting / W. A. Bowring 1900. - [Christchurch&#160;; Christchurch Press Co Ltd., 1900]. Press portraits no. 22. Caricature and full-length portrait of a short stout man in a suit, standing in front of a large pile of coins and notes, surmounted by a flag inscribed Patriotic Fund.
context_page_description: John Guthrie Wood Aitken was the Mayor of Wellington, New Zealand from 1900 to 1905.
context_section_description: In 1899 Aitken entered politics being elected Mayor of Wellington from 1900 to May 1905 when he retired. He represented the City of Wellington electorate from 1902 (he was successful in his first attempt to enter parliament) to 1905, and then the Wellington East electorate from 1905 to 1908. He did not stand in 1908, thus ending his term. He was a member of the Legislative Council from 1914 to 1921.
  He was Chairman of the Wellington Education Board, and in 1917 was the first layman to be Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. Aitken was one of the founders of the Boys Institute and assisted developing the YMCA in Wellington. Together with the Rev. Dr James Gibb, Aitken was a co-founder of Scots College and Queen Margaret College. He was a supporter of Bible in Schools and the Prohibition movements.
  Both Aitken Street and Guthrie Street in Wellington are named after him.
caption: John Guthrie Wood Aitken caricature, 1900
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