HERRIES, SIR WILLIAM HERBERT (1859-1923) was born in London, the son of H. C. Herries, barrister at law, and grandson of General Sir William Herries, chairman of the board of audit. He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B.A. (1880). He studied geology on his Yorkshire holidays and when still young was elected a fellow of the Geological Society. Coming to New Zealand in the Tararua (1881), Herries took up 900 acres of land at Shaftesbury, near Te Aroha, and in 1889 married Catherine Louisa, daughter of E. F. Roche, of county Cork and Ohineroa. He was a member of the Piako county council (1891-99), and of the Waikato hospital and charitable aid board (1893-97). In 1896 Herries was elected to Parliament for Bay of Plenty (defeating W. Kelly), and he represented that seat continuously till 1908, and under its new name of Tauranga till his death. As a leading member of the Reform party he became Minister of Railways and Native Affairs in the Massey cabinet (1912) and also of Customs and Marine in the National government. He held his old portfolios in the new Massey government of 1919 till ill-health compelled him in 1921 to relinquish all departmental administration. He became K.C.M.G. in 1920.

Herries was a strong supporter of the turf, being president of the South Auckland Racing club and the Te Aroha Jockey club and patron of the Rotorua Jockey club. He published in 1921 The Successful Running and Sire lines of the Modern Thoroughbred Horse, a noteworthy treatise on breeding in Great Britain and Ireland. He contended that New Zealand would inevitably take a similar position in the southern hemisphere. Herries died on 22 Feb 1923.

N.Z.P.D., 15, 19 Jun 1923; Memoir of Sir William Herries (1925, p); N.Z. Herald, 23 Feb 1923. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 208

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