Henare Whakatau Uru (1872 – 7 March 1929) was a New Zealand politician. He was the Reform Party Member of Parliament for

Southern Maori Southern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Eastern Maori, Western Maori and Eastern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, an ...

from 1922 to 1928.

Early life and family

Uru was born at

Kaiapoi Kaiapoi is a town in the Waimakariri District of the Canterbury region, in the South Island of New Zealand. The town is located approximately 17 kilometres north of central Christchurch, close to the mouth of the Waimakariri River. It is con ...

in 1872. His father was Hoani Uru, a farmer, and his mother was Kataraina Kaiparoa. A member of the Ngāi Tūāhuriri

hapū In Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief and normally opera ...

(sub-tribe) of

Ngāi Tahu Ngāi Tahu, or Kāi Tahu, is the principal Māori (tribe) of the South Island. Its (tribal area) is the largest in New Zealand, and extends from the White Bluffs / Te Parinui o Whiti (southeast of Blenheim), Mount Mahanga and Kahurangi Poi ...

, Uru was educated at

Rangiora High School , motto_translation = Enlightenment with Friendship , location = , coordinates = , type = State , religious_affiliation = , religion = , denomination = , patron ...

. He married Ruita Te Aika in 1891, but the couple divorced in 1896. Uru subsequently married Gladys Constance Mary Rogers in 1915. Their son, also named Henare Whakatau Uru, served as a pilot officer during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and was killed while on operations over Europe with 299 Sqn in 1944. Their daughter, Tui Uru, was the first Māori presenter on New Zealand television. Uru was known as a sportsman in his teens and 20s, playing

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In its m ...

for the Kaiapoi Football Club, and being involved in athletics, wrestling and tennis. He was also a noted cyclist. A member of the North Canterbury Mounted Rifle Volunteers, Uru attended the opening of the Australian federal parliament in 1901. He also managed the Rapaki Music Company and has been credited with introducing the tune '' Now is the Hour'' to New Zealand.

Political career

Uru won the

electorate in the

1922 Southern Maori by-election The Southern Maori by-election of 1922 was a by-election during the 20th New Zealand Parliament. It was held on 25 January 1922, i.e. before the 1922 general election, which was held on 7 December. The seat of Southern Maori became vacant fol ...

following the death of his brother

Hopere Uru John Hopere Wharewiti Uru (26 March 1868 – 29 November 1921), sometimes known as Billy Uru, was a New Zealand Māori sportsman and politician. He represented Canterbury at both cricket and rugby union, and was an Independent (and sometimes Re ...

in November 1921. He retained his seat at the

1922 Events January * January 7 – Dáil Éireann (Irish Republic), Dáil Éireann, the parliament of the Irish Republic, ratifies the Anglo-Irish Treaty by 64–57 votes. * January 10 – Arthur Griffith is elected President of Dáil Éirean ...

and 1925 general elections, but was defeated in

1928 Events January * January – British bacteriologist Frederick Griffith reports the results of Griffith's experiment, indirectly proving the existence of DNA. * January 1 – Eastern Bloc emigration and defection: Boris Bazhanov, J ...

when he finished third behind

Tuiti Makitanara Tuiti Makitanara (8 August 1874 – 24 June 1932), sometimes known as Sweet MacDonald, was a Māori and United Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Early life and family Of Rangitāne, Ngāti Kuia, Muaūpoko and Ngāti Apa descent, Makit ...

and

Eruera Tirikatene Sir Eruera Tihema Te Aika Tirikatene (5 January 1895 – 11 January 1967) was a New Zealand Māori politician of the Ngāi Tahu tribe. Known in early life as Edward James Te Aika Tregerthen, he was the first Ratana Member of Parliament and wa ...

. Uru's main parliamentary contribution was the progression of Ngāi Tahu issues, leading to the formation of the Ngaitahu Trust Board in 1929. He was also a member of the Board of Maori Ethnological Research. He died in Wellington in 1929 and was buried at Tuahiwi, near Kaiapoi.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Uru, Henare 1872 births 1929 deaths Ngāi Tahu people People educated at Rangiora High School Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs New Zealand MPs for Māori electorates Unsuccessful candidates in the 1928 New Zealand general election People from Kaiapoi