James McPherson (1831/1832 – 23 August 1905) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in the Waikato region of New Zealand.
McPherson was born into a Highland family in .[1] He arrived in New Zealand on the Calcutta in May 1861 as Ensign of the 70th Regiment with his wife and two children.[2] Later, he was paymaster in the Commissariat Transport Corps. In July 1864, he received his commission as captain and joined the 4th Waikato Regiment.
His country grant was in the present-day suburb of Hillcrest, Hamilton, and as well as farming the land he set up a flax-dressing mill.[3] He named his property 'Riverlea' and built a two storied house of Kauri timber in the mid 1870s.
He represented the Waikato electorate in, from 10 February to 20 December, when he resigned.[4]
Six years later he was with the Waikato County Council (appointed clerk and treasurer) and remained there until his death on 22 August 1905.[5] He is buried in the Hamilton East Cemetery.[6]