DRIVER, HENRY (1831-93) was born in the United States, came to the Victorian goldfields when a young man, and went into business in Melbourne, where he was a partner in Lord and Co., importers. A few years later he became a partner in a station on the Murray. In 1861 he came to Dunedin following the discoveries at Gabriel's Gully, and established himself as a merchant and stock agent under the style of Driver, McLean and Co. When this business was merged in the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Co. he became manager of that firm and later of the Mutual Agency Co. He interested himself early in the telegraph line from Dunedin to Port Chalmers, for which he had the contract, in the New Zealand Agricultural Co. and the Waimea Plains railway.

Driver had a run at Horseshoe Bush, near Clarendon. He first entered public life as a member of the Dunedin City Council (1865-69), being elected at the head of the poll. In 1866 he entered the Otago Provincial Council, in which he sat for many years (for Taieri 1866-67; Wakari 1867-71, 1872-75). He was elected to Parliament for Roslyn, which he represented for one year, and in 1881 he was returned for Hokonui. At the general election in 1884 he stood for Bruce but was defeated by Gillies, and he refused to stand again when a vacancy occurred. He died on 23 Jan 1893. For some time Driver was consul for the United States. He was a prominent member of the Dunedin Jockey Club, and was responsible for laying out the course at Forbury (1877). In 1879-80 he was president and subsequently starter.

Cycl. N.Z., iv; Barclay; Otago Daily Times, 24 Jan 1893

Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 127

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