Harry Lapwood

Henry Robert ("Harry") Lapwood, OBE (1 November 1915 – 26 April 2007) was a New Zealand soldier and politician.

Born at Tuakau, just south of Auckland, Lapwood was raised by an uncle and aunt, having lost both parents while young - his mother when he was four and his father at age ten.cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz-government/news/article.cfm?c_id=144&objectid=10437891|title=Obituary: Harry Lapwood|last=Falconer|first=Phoebe |date=5 May 2007|publisher=New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-09-27] He attended Dilworth School in Auckland, before working first on a dairy farm in Awakeri, and later as a police officer in Invercargill. At the start of World War II in 1939 he joined the New Zealand Army, and was a Warrant Officer Class 1 in the 2nd Division. On 26 June 1942, he was appointed the Regimental Sergeant Major of 18 New Zealand Armoured Regiment. [cite web|url=http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-18Ba-c17.html#reference-to-fn1-252|title=Interrupted Holiday|last=Dawson|first=William Denham|date=1961|work=18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment|publisher=Historical Publications Branch|pages=p. 252 footnote|accessdate=2008-09-27] The next day, during fighting at Minqar Qaim leading up to the First Battle of El Alamein, enemy artillery fire wounded Lapwood, resulting in the loss of use of one arm. [cite web|url=http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-18Ba-c18.html|title=Battle at Minqar Qaim|last=Dawson|first=William Denham|date=1961|work=18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment|publisher=Historical Publications Branch|pages=p. 255|accessdate=2008-09-27]

He moved to Rotorua in 1947 with his wife Cath (née Newbrook) and purchased a grocery business. In 1960, he stood as the National Party candidate for the Rotorua electorate, which to his surprise he won, defeating Labour incumbent Ray Boord. Lapwood represented Rotorua for six terms from 1960 until his retirement in 1978. He served as senior whip from 1970 to 1974, and was known for having the loudest voice in parliament, attributed to his previous role as RSM during the war. He was Minister of Tourism and Minister in charge of Publicity and of the Government Printing Office from 1975 to 1978, in the Muldoon government. [cite web|url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/PB/Debates/Debates/4/2/7/48HansD_20070501_00000001-Obituaries-Hon-Henry-Robert-Lapwood-OBE.htm|title=Obituaries — Hon Henry Robert Lapwood OBE|work=Hansard|publisher=New Zealand Parliament|pages=Volume:638;Page:8735|accessdate=2008-09-27]

He was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal and in the 1992 New Year Honours was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), "Forpublic services." [cite web|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10436816|title=Former Tourism Minister kept busy until the end|date=30 April 2007|publisher=New Zealand Herald|accessdate=2008-09-27] [LondonGazette|issue=52768|supp=yes|startpage=30|date=30 December 1991|accessdate=2008-10-01]

His wife Cath died c. 2003, and Lapwood died on 26 April 2007 after a short illness, and was survived by five daughters.

Notes

References

*"New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984" by J. O. Wilson (1985, Government Printer, Wellington)
*"The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party" by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland; has biographical appendix of National MPs) ISBN 0474001776