Cyril Geoffrey Edmund Harker (17 November 1890 – 4 November 1970) was a New Zealand soldier, lawyer and politician of the National Party.

Biography

Harker was born at

Havelock North Havelock North ( mi, Te Hemo-a-Te Atonga) is a town in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, situated less than 2 km south-east of the city of Hastings. It was a borough for many years until the 1989 reorganisation of local ...

and attended

Napier Boys' High School Napier Boys' High School is a secondary boys' school in, Napier, New Zealand. It currently has a school roll of approximately pupils. The school provides education from Year 9 to Year 13. Notable alumni Business *Rod Drury – chief executi ...

. He graduated in 1915 from the Victoria College (now

Victoria University of Wellington Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of New Zealand Parliament, Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Z ...

) with an LLB. He served in

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

in the

New Zealand Expeditionary Force The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) was the title of the military forces sent from New Zealand to fight alongside other British Empire and Dominion troops during World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945). Ultimately, the NZE ...

departing 13 June 1918 and rising to the rank of Company Sergeant Major. He returned in August 1919 and in that year bought a share of the law partnership in Waipawa that is now McKay Mackie. He was Mayor of Waipawa and held offices in both the Returned Services Association and the

Chamber of Commerce A chamber of commerce, or board of trade, is a form of business network. For example, a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to ...

. In 1936 and 1937 he represented the abortion care provider Isabel Annie Aves, who was tried four times for 'using an instrument with the intent to procure a miscarriage.' Neither the first trial in Napier in August 1936 nor the retrials in Wellington in October 1936, December 1936 and February 1937 resulted in the jury reaching a verdict. Harker's defence rested on lack of direct evidence; none of the women were gave evidence and the crown prosecutor relied on circumstantial evidence. In 1938 he also defended Colin Herbert Hercock who shot Aves after her return to the

Hawkes Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region i ...

, getting him convicted of the lesser charge of manslaughter rather than murder and subsequently getting his prison term reduced. He represented the

Hawke's Bay Hawke's Bay ( mi, Te Matau-a-Māui) is a local government region on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island. The region's name derives from Hawke Bay, which was named by Captain James Cook in honour of Admiral Edward Hawke. The region ...

electorates of Waipawa from a to 1946, and then

from 1946 to

1963 Events January * January 1 – Bogle–Chandler case: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation scientist Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler are found dead (presumed poisoned), in bushland near the Lane Co ...

, when he retired. His

maiden speech A maiden speech is the first speech given by a newly elected or appointed member of a legislature or parliament. Traditions surrounding maiden speeches vary from country to country. In many Westminster system governments, there is a convention ...

to the house concerned the ''Small Farms Amendment Bill'' which dealt with the settlement and rehabilitation of returned soldiers. He was Chairman of Committees from 1950 to 1957. In the 1964 Queen's Birthday Honours, Harker was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

for public services. He died on 4 November 1970.

Notes

References

* * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Harker, Cyril New Zealand National Party MPs 1890 births 1970 deaths Mayors of places in the Hawke's Bay Region People educated at Napier Boys' High School Victoria University of Wellington alumni 20th-century New Zealand lawyers New Zealand military personnel of World War I New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates 20th-century New Zealand politicians