Patrick O'Regan (politician)
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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.
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Political career
O'Regan represented Inangahua (1893–1896) and Buller (1896–1899) in the New Zealand House of Representatives. He was defeated in the 1899 election when he stood for re-election in Buller.
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.
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 1918 by-election in Wellington Central and Harry Holland in the 1918 by-election in Wellington North. However, he did not join the Labour Party.
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.
He was the father of surgeon and activist Rolland O'Regan.