Sir Henry Joseph Kelliher (1896 - 1991)

Henry Joseph Kelliher was born at Waikerikeri, near Clyde in Central Otago in 1896, the son of a pioneering farming family of Irish ancestry. At the outbreak of the First World War he enlisted with the Otago Mounted Rifles and, having travelled overseas with the main contingent, served the army for 3½ years - celebrating his 18th birthday in Egypt, seeing action at Gallipoli and later, the Somme.

Whilst in England as a casualty, having been wounded and gassed during the Battle of the Somme, Henry met Evelyn Janie Sproule from Stranraer in Scotland. Evelyn had been studying medicine in Ireland and, at the outbreak of World War One, transferred to England where she joined the Red Cross. They were married in 1917 and Evelyn first saw her new homeland - New Zealand - in 1918, at the conclusion of the war.

On returning to New Zealand, Henry initially turned his attention to farming, as he was an experienced and qualified wool-classer; then in 1921 formed Kelliher & Co Limited - Merchants and Butter Exporters. He was on the point of buying a sheep run in the Wairarapa when a friend persuaded him to invest his money in the Marquis of Normanby Hotel in Carterton. Being close to the much larger "dry" town of Masterton, this proved to be a lucrative undertaking. The price of butterfat had risen substantially, the economy was buoyant, and he soon acquired another hotel in Greytown.

Next was the acquisition of a 15 year exclusive agency agreement for New Zealand for the sale of the original J H Dewar Whisky, made by Dewar and Bullock of Glasgow. At the time it had had not been actively promoted and sales were almost negligible, with competition from another similarly branded product. Overcoming initial difficulties, Henry commenced a vigorous and highly successful marketing campaign and was rewarded with an agency agreement covering the whole of Australia. He continued to represent Dewar and Bullock until the company was purchased by its competitor and the arrangement came to an end.

In 1924, having left the Wairarapa, Henry purchased the wine and spirit business Levers & Company Limited which, following a merger with Waitemata Breweries, was the driving force behind a successful flotation of Dominion Breweries in 1929. As Managing Director, Henry was responsible for implementing significant innovations in brewing techniques and initiated many progressive ideas, introducing novel improvements in equipping, upgrading and building hotels and taverns.

During the Depression, he became deeply concerned that thousands of unemployed were struggling to sustain their families and many children were suffering from malnutrition. Having established the Mirror Publishing Company in 1922, Henry commenced a crusade in The Mirror Magazine and, with the aid of the late Dr E B Gunson and other prominent associates, established the League of Health of New Zealand Youth, bringing about a national free milk scheme for school children. The scheme was adopted and later put into operation by the first Labour Government, continuing into 1960's.

Henry had a lifelong interest in economics and published numerous books and pamphlets on the subject, including 'New Zealand at the Crossroads' in 1936, which ran to three editions. Henry also became a Director of the Bank of New Zealand that year, an appointment he chose to relinquish in 1942.

On the advice of a friend, Henry purchased Puketutu Island in the Manukau Harbour in 1938 and promptly established himself on the 500 acre property. An underground aquifer was soon discovered and the once barren volcanic island became a productive farm, with a forest plantation, saw mill, citrus orchard, thoroughbred stud, and cattle. With a consistent supply of water assured, well designed and attractive gardens were planted around the two-storied homestead, and exotic trees lined the main driveway.

Stud production was of particular interest and over the years Henry bred Champion Aberdeen Angus cattle, pedigree Ayrshire dairy cows, and Southdown, Romney and Suffolk sheep, with foundation stock purchased from overseas. He quickly gained national and international reputation for these breeds and sales at Puketutu Island were regularly attended by buyers, not only from within New Zealand but also overseas. Horses from the Island Stud were sold to Africa, Malaysia and Australia.

Established in 1956, The Kelliher Art Awards competition offered the first major and now best known art prizes in New Zealand, assisting to launch the careers of many New Zealand artists. It also brought prominent art authorities to New Zealand as judges, such as the late Sir William Dargie and Douglas Pratt OBE, of Australia. The Awards reflected not only Henry's interest in painting, but also his admiration for this country and its richly varied scenery, reflecting the overall Kelliher philosophy of encouraging the pursuit of excellence. The Kelliher Art Trust was established in 1961 to ensure this legacy continued.

Henry received a Knighthood from the Queen in Wellington during 1963, and was also a Knight of the Order of St John.

Concerned that many people lacked interest in the monetary system - particularly given the dominant role it plays in all material aspects of life, Sir Henry established The Kelliher Economics Foundation in 1964 to encourage more widespread understanding. Each year, New Zealand university students were invited to submit an essay on a pre-determined topic, with scholarships awarded to the best entries.

Dominion Breweries was Sir Henry's dominant business activity until 1982 when, after more than half a century as Managing Director, he was appointed Founder-President.

Acknowledgements:
Excerpts from Dominion Breweries Limited's 50th Golden Anniversary publication.