Patrick O'Regan
Encyclopedia
Patrick Joseph O'Regan was a Member of Parliament
for Inangahua and Buller, in the South Island
of New Zealand
. He was later appointed to the Legislative Council.
, on the West Coast of New Zealand.
(1893–96) and Buller
(1896–99) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
.
He was involved with the Knights of Labour and Henry George
's Single Tax Movement. In 1896, O'Regan introduced the Proportional Representation Bill into Parliament: it failed to carry the second reading by only 6 votes (Yesterdays in Golden Buller by Ella Matthews, p. 203, 1999, Cadsonbury Publications).
A lawyer by profession, O'Regan represented striking workers in 1913 and conscientious objectors charged with sedition in WWI.
O'Regan supported Labour's Peter Fraser in the Wellington
Central by-election of 1918 and Harry Holland
in the Wellington North by-election also in 1918. However, he did not join the NZ Labour Party (Gustafson, p. 163).
O'Regan was made a member of the Legislative Council in 1946, to 1947 when he died (Wilson, p. 160).
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Inangahua and Buller, in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was later appointed to the Legislative Council.
Early life
O'Regan was born in CharlestonCharleston, New Zealand
Charleston is a village in the South Island of New Zealand located 30 km south of Westport. It was founded as a goldmining town after a major goldrush in 1867, and is now an adventure tourist village noted for its extensive limestone caves and caving experiences.- History :Charleston’s origins...
, on the West Coast of New Zealand.
Member of Parliament
O'Regan represented InangahuaInangahua (New Zealand electorate)
Inangahua was a former parliamentary electorate in the Buller District, which is part of the West Coast region of New Zealand, from 1881 to 1896...
(1893–96) and Buller
Buller (New Zealand electorate)
Buller is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972.-History:Early members for Buller were:*Eugene O'Conor from 1871 to 1875 and again from 1884 to 1893 *Joseph Henry from 1876 to 1879...
(1896–99) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
.
He was involved with the Knights of Labour and Henry George
Henry George
Henry George was an American writer, politician and political economist, who was the most influential proponent of the land value tax, also known as the "single tax" on land...
's Single Tax Movement. In 1896, O'Regan introduced the Proportional Representation Bill into Parliament: it failed to carry the second reading by only 6 votes (Yesterdays in Golden Buller by Ella Matthews, p. 203, 1999, Cadsonbury Publications).
A lawyer by profession, O'Regan represented striking workers in 1913 and conscientious objectors charged with sedition in WWI.
O'Regan supported Labour's Peter Fraser in the Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
Central by-election of 1918 and Harry Holland
Harry Holland
Henry Edmund Holland was a New Zealand politician and unionist. He was the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.-Early life:...
in the Wellington North by-election also in 1918. However, he did not join the NZ Labour Party (Gustafson, p. 163).
O'Regan was made a member of the Legislative Council in 1946, to 1947 when he died (Wilson, p. 160).
Further reading
- Labour's Path to Political Independence: the Origins and Establishment of the NZ Labour Party 1900-1919 by Barry GustafsonBarry GustafsonBarry Gustafson is a New Zealand political scientist and historian, and a leading political biographer. He served for nearly four decades as Professor of Political Studies at the University of Auckland, and as Acting Director of the New Zealand Asia Institute from 2004 to 2006.-Politics and...
(1980, Oxford University Press, Auckland) - The New Zealand Liberals: the Years of Power 1891-1912 by David Hamer (1988, Auckland University Press, Auckland)
- The Parliamentary Record: 1840-1984 by J.O. Wilson (1985, Government Printer, Wellington)