Background
Parr was born in Pukerimu near Cambridge in 1869.
Parr was born in Pukerimu near Cambridge in 1869.
Parr was Mayor of Auckland from 1911 to 1915, succeeded by Sir James Gunson. He represented the electorate of Eden from 1914 to 1926. He was Minister of Education (3 April 1920 – 24 April 1926) in three successive ministries of the Reform Government.
He was Minister of Public Health (3 April 1920 – 27 June 1923) under William Massey.
He was Minister of Justice (27 June 1923 – 18 January 1926) under Massey, Francis Bell and Gordon Coates. He was Postmaster General and Minister of Telegraphs (30 May 1925 – 24 April 1926) under Coates.
He resigned from Parliament on 26 March 1926 to take up his appointment as High Commissioner in London. Parr was High Commissioner to the United Kingdom for just over three years (1 August 1926 – 31 December 1929).
He resigned from the Legislative council effective 31 December 1933 and commenced his second term as High Commissioner the following day.
A post that he held until 31 August 1936. He retired in Berkhamsted, England and remarried there.
He was Mayor of Auckland, a Member of Parliament representing the Eden electorate, a Minister in the Reform Government, High Commissioner in London and a Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council. On his return to New Zealand, he was appointed a member of the Legislative Council on 9 October 1931.