HALSE, HENRY (1820-88) was born in the City of London; educated there and entered at St George's Hospital to study medicine but, preferring an outdoor life, sailed in the Amelia Thompson with his brother for New Zealand. Arriving at New Plymouth (1841), they at first engaged in farming, but in 1846 Halse entered the civil service. He married Mary Ann Shaw. In 1858 he was appointed commissioner of native reserves in Taranaki and in the following year magistrate and commissioner of police. In 1858, as assistant native secretary, he reported the murder of Katatore. In 1875 Halse became a judge of the native land court, from which he retired in 1880. He was a fine Maori scholar and a capable, conscientious judge. Halse died on 5 Jun 1888.

App. H.R., 1867 A4; Wells; N.Z. Times, 7 Jun 1888.

Reference: Volume 1, page 191

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