The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Bracken, Thomas
Bracken, Thomas, was born Dec. 21st, 1843, in Ireland, and arrived in Victoria at the age of twelve. After experiencing the ups and downs of colonial life for several years, Mr. Bracken went to Otago, N.Z., in 1869, and connected himself shortly afterwards with journalism in that province. He was connected with the Otago Guardian in the first year or two of its existence, and subsequent founded a weekly paper, called The Saturday Advertiser, which he conducted with marked ability. In 1881 he was elected to represent Dunedin Central in the House of Representatives, but lost his seat at the elections of 1884. Mr. Bracken is best known as the author of several collections of verses, and the following books are from his pen: "Flowers of the Freelands," "Paddy Murphy's Budget," "Pulpit Lectures," "Beyond the Tomb, and other Poems," "The New Zealand Tourist," "The Land of the Maori and the Moa," and "Musings in Maori Land" (Keirle, Dunedin, 1890).