Peter Dignan (24 April 1847 – 15 June 1922) was the fifteenth Mayor of Auckland who held the office in 1897 and 1898.^[1] He was the first New Zealand-born and probably the first Catholic^[2] occupant of the position.^[3]

Dignan was born in Auckland. He was the eldest son of Patrick Dignan M.L.C. and was educated at St Peter's School by the noted teacher Richard O'Sullivan.^[1] Patrick Dignan was one of the Board of Governors of St Peter's School.^[3]

Dignan was admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1868. He went into partnership with later politician John Sheehan to form the legal firm of Sheehan and Dignan^[3] which later, when Sheehan left the partnership, became Dignan and Armstrong.^[1]

Dignan was involved in Sunday school and other activities connected with St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland and other Catholic initiatives. He was a member of the Catholic Young Men's Literary and Debating Society which was the nursery of several political careers including those of John Sheehan and another young lawyer, Joseph Tole.^[4] Dignan was an officer in the volunteer armed forces and for 22 years he was a trustee and sometime President of the Auckland Working Men's Club. He also gave his services to many other community endeavours, including the Auckland Harbour Board and the Auckland University College.^[1]

Dignan was a member of the Auckland City Council for 12 years. In 1897, in his first term as Mayor, the statue of Queen Victoria was erected in Albert Park to mark her 60 years as Queen. In 1898, during his second term as Mayor, the Auckland Exhibition was held. As Mayor, Dignan attempted to increase the rating revenue of the Auckland City Council by promoting a Bill which would have restored to the Council the rating powers possessed by all other boroughs. In anticipation of the measure being passed, it was decided to ascertain the opinion of the ratepayers. The ratepayers were not persuaded and at the poll they disapproved the suggested increase (9d in the £) by 1,594 votes to 1,052. The Bill was withdrawn. Dignan's successor, David Goldie, instead, had to institute rigorous economies in council administration with aged and ageing officials being pensioned off.^[5]

Dignan died on 15 June 1922.^[6]

v t e Mayors of Auckland City
Mayors	Philip Philips Henry Isaacs Frederick Prime Benjamin Tonks William Hurst Henry Brett Thomas Peacock James Clark William Waddel Albert Devore John Upton William Crowther James Job Holland Abraham Boardman Peter Dignan David Goldie John Logan Campbell Alfred Kidd Edwin Mitchelson Arthur Myers Charles Grey Lemuel Bagnall James Parr James Gunson George Baildon George Hutchison Ernest Davis John Allum John Luxford Tom Ashby Keith Buttle Dove-Myer Robinson Roy McElroy Dove-Myer Robinson Colin Kay Catherine Tizard Les Mills Christine Fletcher John Banks Dick Hubbard John Banks
Mayoral elections	Annual term 1871† 1872† 1873† 1874† 1875 1876 1877† 1878 1879† 1880† 1881† 1882† 1883† 1884† 1885† 1886† 1887† 1888† 1889† 1890† 1891† 1892† 1893† 1894† 1895† 1896† 1897† 1898 1899† 1900† 1901 1902† 1903 1904† 1905 1906 1907 1908† 1909† 1910 1911† 1912 1913† 1914† Biennial term 1915 1917 1919† 1921† 1923† 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933 1935 Triennial term 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1957‡ 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1990‡ 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007
Local elections	1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 by-elections
† Elected unopposed ‡ By-election