MR HENRY DARGAVILLE BENNETT

Te Ao Hou, Royal Tour 1953, Page 3

MR HENRY DARGAVILLE BENNETT The death occurred at Wellington in September of Mr Henry Dargaville Bennett, who was a brother of the first Bishop of Aotearoa, the late Bishop F. A. Bennett, and for many years a leading citizen of Wellington. He was aged 77. Mr Bennett was born at Maketu, in the Bay of Plenty. His grandfather, Dr John Bennett, an Irishman, was New Zealand's first Registrar-General. Mr Bennett's mother was of Te Arawa descent. He was educated at Te Aute College, and began his career as a farmer in the Taihape district. Later, he settled in Wellington and took a prominent part in local body affairs, achieving a position in Wellington business and civic life that had never previously been occupied by a Maori. Mr Bennett was married twice. There were three sons and three daughters of his first marriage to a chieftainess of the Rangitikei district, and two sons and two daughters of his second marriage, to Miss Wikitoria Amohau Park.