James Joseph Maher

James Joseph (Jimmy) Maher OBE (1888 – 28 July 1964) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Life and politics

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1946–1949 28th Otaki National
1949–1951 29th Otaki National
1951–1954 30th Otaki National
1954–1957 31st Otaki National
1957–1960 32nd Otaki National

Maher was born in 1888 in Palmerston North. He received his education at a local school until age 12, when his father died and he became a farm worker. He then went sharemilking, and leased a farm at Mangaroa, which he later purchased. He was the inaugural president of the Town Milk Supplies Board from 1943, chaired the Wellington Dairy Farmers Co-op Association, was a member of the Hutt Valley Council, a member of the Hutt Valley Power Board, and was a treasurer of Federated Farmers in 1948.[1]

In the 1943 election, Maher contested the Wairarapa electorate, but was beaten by the incumbent, Labour's Benjamin Roberts.[1][2] At the next general election in 1946, he successfully contested the Otaki electorate, where the incumbent, Labour's Leonard Lowry, retired that year.[3] Maher represented the electorate until he retired in 1960.[4] Allan McCready his son-in-law succeeded to the Otaki seat.

He was awarded an OBE in 1962 and died on 28 July 1964.[1]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gustafson 1986, p. 332.
  2. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 231.
  3. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 213, 217.
  4. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 217.

References