Felix McGuire (1847 – 6 April 1915) was a soldier and later independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Biography Early life and career McGuire was born in County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1847. He was educated locally before emigrating to Australia in 1863, living there only briefly, before relocating again to New Zealand. He was a soldier from 1863 to 1864 for the duration of the Invasion of the Waikato. Afterwards he was a cavalryman during the Second Taranaki War, based at Wanganui. He also served in Tītokowaru's War in 1868–9. After those engagements he transferred to the army commissariat department. During his military career he was mentioned in despatches and promoted, being commissioned as lieutenant. Once he left service in the army he entered business in Patea as a storekeeper of a general store. Several years later he moved to Hawera, before moving again, this time to Auckland, in 1882. He studied law in Auckland and returned to Taranaki in 1885.

Political career

McGuire entered politics via local bodies. He was member for South Taranaki in the Taranaki Province Council until 1875 hen provincial governments were abolished. After that he was the chairman of the Patea County Council, and after that became the first Mayor of Hawera. He unsuccessfully contested the electorate in the and . In 1887 he stood as a ministerialist candidate, supporting the Stout–Vogel ministry, despite not supporting Sir Julius Vogel the nominative co-leader of the government. He was assisted in his campaign by John Ballance, a minister in the Stout–Vogel government, but was unsuccessful losing to the leader of the opposition members Sir Harry Atkinson. In his 1890 campaign, he loaned Ballance (a newspaper proprietor) ₤300 to establish the Egmont Settler newspaper. The Settler printed anti-Atkinson articles in an attempt to claim the Egmont seat for McGuire (as well as backing George Hutchison in ).

He was elected to the Egmont electorate in a 1891 by-election after the resignation of Atkinson, and represented it until the end of the 12th Parliament in 1896. He successfully contested the Hawera electorate in the 1896 general election and served until he was defeated in the 1902 general election. He once again stood (unsuccessfully) for Hawera in 1905.

McGuire was initially an independent MP. His by-election victory was celebrated by local members of the governing Liberal Party as he had defeated the opposition candidate. Ballance was pleased to see his friend win the seat, thinking that an ally of his winning the was a fillip for his government. He stated McGuire's victory "had a marked effect in strengthening the hands of the Government throughout the country." He did not join the Liberal Party, but Premier Richard Seddon – who succeeded Ballance, wanted to leave the door open to McGuire joining the government by only standing a weak government candidate against him at the . He was re-elected as an independent again in 1893, but towards the end of the 1896 session he joined the opposition caucus, after becoming increasing critical of the government. He was particularly opposed to the government's land and settlement policies. At the Seddon made specific efforts to unseat McGuire by ensuring a stronger government candidate, however this was undercut by the presence of an independent liberal candidate who split the vote and allowed McGuire to be returned to parliament.

He was an outspoken MP and while not noted as a particularly talented orator, he was noted for speaking commonsense with the "proverbial good humor of an Irishman" though could be critical when he wished. While being initially on friendly terms with the government of Seddon, where at one time it was thought that he might achieve a Cabinet post, policy differences drove him away from Seddon and into opposition instead.

Later life and death After leaving parliament McGuire retired to Mount Royal, Okaiawa, where he lived for several years. In about 1913 he left to live in Auckland.

McGuire died on 6 April 1915 at his home in the Auckland suburb of Epsom, and was buried in Waikaraka Cemetery.

Citations

References