Patrick O'Regan (politician) explained

Patrick O'Regan
Parliament:New Zealand
Term Start:1893
Term End:1896
Predecessor:Robert Stout
Successor:Constituency abolished
Parliament2:New Zealand
Term Start2:1896
Term End2:1899
Predecessor2:Roderick McKenzie
Successor2:James Colvin
Birth Name:Patrick Joseph O'Regan
Birth Date:6 February 1869
Birth Place:Charleston, New Zealand
Death Place:Wellington, New Zealand
Party:Liberal
Relatives:Rolland O'Regan (son)
Tipene O'Regan (grandson)
Children:6

Patrick Joseph O'Regan (6 February 1869 – 24 April 1947) was a Member of Parliament for Inangahua and Buller, in the South Island of New Zealand. He was later appointed to the Legislative Council.

Early life

O'Regan was born in Charleston, on the West Coast of New Zealand to Patrick O'Regan (an Irish immigrant and goldminer) and his wife Mary.

Political career

O'Regan represented Inangahua (–1896) and Buller (–1899) in the New Zealand House of Representatives. He was defeated in the when he stood for re-election in Buller.[1]

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.[2]

A lawyer by profession, O'Regan represented striking workers in 1913 and conscientious objectors charged with sedition in World War I.

O'Regan supported Labour's Peter Fraser in the in and Harry Holland in the in . However, he did not join the Labour Party.[3]

O'Regan was made a judge of the Court of Arbitration in 1937 and a member of the Legislative Council on 9 September 1946 and he held that position for the few months until his death in Wellington on 24 April 1947.[4]

He was the father of surgeon and activist Rolland O'Regan.

Further reading

References

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: The General Election, 1899 . 19 June 1900 . Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives . 2 . 1 November 2012 . Wellington.
  2. Yesterdays in Golden Buller, by Ella Matthews, p. 203, 1999, Cadsonbury Publications
  3. Labour's Path to Political Independence: the Origins and Establishment of the NZ Labour Party 1900–1919 by Barry Gustafson (1980, Oxford University Press, Auckland), p. 163
  4. Book: Scholefield, Guy . New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 . Guy Scholefield . 3rd . First ed. published 1913 . 1950 . Government Printer . Wellington . 82.