Frank Hockly

Who was Frank Hockly?

Frank Franklin Hockly was a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.

Arthur Remington of the Liberal Party had held the Rangitikei electorate, but he died on 17 August 1909. The resulting 1909 by-election was contested by five candidates, with Hockly as one of the opposition candidates leading Robert William Smith for the government by 1548 votes to 1055. At the time, the Second Ballot Act 1908 applied and since Hockly had not achieved an absolute majority, a second ballot between the two leading contenders was required. In the second contest, Smith had a majority of 400 votes over Hockly and was thus declared elected.

In the 1911 election, three candidates contested the new Waimarino electorate: Smith for the Liberal government, Hockly as the opposition candidate, and Joseph Ivess as an Independent Liberal. Smith and Hockly progressed to the second ballot, which was won by Smith with a 480 votes majority.

Hockly was elected to the Rotorua electorate in the 1919 general election, but was defeated in 1928. He was Chairman of Committees from 1926 to 1928.

In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.