Career
Born in Orrell near Litherland, Lancashire, England in 1865, Hockly emigrated to New Zealand in 1884. 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.
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. 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.
He died in Auckland in 1936 and was buried in Waikumete Cemetery.
