Henry Okey

Henry James Hobbs Okey (28 May 1857 – 13 September 1918) was a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Henry Okey
Okey in 1905
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Taranaki
In office
1907–1918
Preceded byEdward Smith
Succeeded bySydney George Smith
Chairman of Taranaki County Council
In office
1896–1905
Personal details
Born
Henry James Hobbs Okey

(1957-05-28)28 May 1957
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Died13 September 1918(1918-09-13) (aged 61)
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Political partyReform
Spouse(s)
Louisa Morey
​
(m. 1884)​
OccupationFarmer

Early life and family

Born in New Plymouth in 1857, Okey was the son of Edward Okey, an ironmonger.[1] His brothers included Edward Nelson Okey, who in 1880 won what later became known as the Ballinger Belt for the New Zealand champion shot.[1][2]

On 2 July 1884, Okey married Louisa Morey.[3]

Political career
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1907–1908 16th Taranaki Independent
1908–1909 17th Taranaki Independent
1909–1911 Changed allegiance to: Reform
1911–1914 18th Taranaki Reform
1914–1918 18th Taranaki Reform

Okey was a member of the Taranaki County Council, and served as its chairman between 1896 and 1905.[1][4] He was also vice president and then president of the Taranaki Agricultraul and Pastoral Society.[1]

Okey contested the Taranaki electorate at the 1905 general election, coming second, 236 votes behind the incumbent, Edward Smith.[5] However, Smith died in 1907 and Okey won the subsequent by-election as an independent. He gave sympathy and support to the Reform Party, and later formally became a Reform MP. Okey held the Taranaki seat until his death in 1918.[6]

Death

Okey died in New Plymouth on 13 September 1918,[1] and was buried in Te Henui Cemetery.[7]

References
  1. "Obituary: Mr. H. J. Okey, M.P." The Evening Post. 13 September 1918. p. 7. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
  2. "Ballinger Belt". National Rifle Association of New Zealand. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. "Marriage". Taranaki Herald. 3 July 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  4. "City Council, Henry Okey". Puke Ariki. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  5. "The general election, 1905". National Library. 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  6. Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 130.
  7. "Cemetery search". New Plymouth District Council. Retrieved 29 August 2015.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Edward Smith		 Member of Parliament for Taranaki
1907–1918		 Succeeded by
Sydney George Smith


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