Henry Holland (mayor)


Henry Holland was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party, and Mayor of Christchurch from 1912 to 1919.

Early life

Holland was born in Nafferton, East Yorkshire, England in 1859. His parents were the farmers Ann and Robert Holland, a farm laborer. The family emigrated to New Zealand in 1863 when Henry Holland was four, and settled in West Melton on an undeveloped farm. Holland received his education at a West Melton private school and the Halkett public school. He eventually began farming at Greendale on 100 acres in 1881. Four years later in October 1885, he married Jane Eastwood, a schoolteacher, in Christchurch; they would later have five sons and three daughters.

Local government

Holland was made a Justice of the Peace in 1907, and in 1911 was elected to the Christchurch City Council for the Central Ward. He was a friend of Tommy Taylor.
The 1912 mayoral election was held on 24 April, and it was contested by the incumbent John Joseph Dougall, Holland, and Henry Thacker. Like the previous election in April 1911, the incumbent came last. Holland was successful with 4,127 votes, with Thacker and Dougall receiving 2,931 and 2,637 votes, respectively. Holland was installed as mayor on 1 May 1912. He was challenged in 1915 by Henry Sorensen.
Holland was Mayor of Christchurch for seven years. The 1917 mayoral election was contested by Holland and the MP James McCombs along the lines of win-the-war and anti-conscription. The result was a crushing defeat of McCombs; Holland received 12,177 votes and McCombs received 5,381. Holland retired from the mayoralty in 1919; the election was contested by three candidates.
He was a board member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board and was chairman of the board from 5 June 1929 to 5 June 1930.

Member of Parliament

Henry Holland was the Member of Parliament for Christchurch North from 1925 to 1935, when he retired.
Holland and his wife, Jane, were awarded the OBE for service in World War I. He was subsequently promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.
His son, Sidney Holland, was the 25th Prime Minister from 1949–1957.

Death

Holland died on 29 December 1944 and was buried at Linwood Cemetery.