8 9 , ▁he ▁le ased ▁land ▁in ▁Ot ip ua ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁that ▁local ity ▁a ▁few ▁kilometres ▁in land ▁from ▁P are ora . ▁ ▁An st ey ▁was ▁active ▁with ▁the ▁Can ter bury ▁Farm ers ' ▁Cooper ative ▁Association ▁and ▁eventually ▁became ▁its ▁director , ▁and ▁was ▁for ▁several ▁years ▁on ▁the ▁board ▁of ▁the ▁P are ora ▁School ▁Committee , ▁including ▁three ▁years ▁as ▁chair person . ▁He ▁became ▁a ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 . ▁He ▁was ▁on ▁the ▁Tim aru ▁Bor ough ▁Council , ▁belonged ▁to ▁the ▁South ▁Can ter bury ▁Power ▁Board ▁from ▁its ▁beginning , ▁and ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Chamber ▁of ▁Com merce ▁for ▁two ▁dec ades . ▁ ▁Political ▁career ▁ ▁An st ey ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Land ▁Commission ▁from ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁this ▁work , ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁to ▁the ▁Legisl ative ▁Council ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁January ▁ 1 9 0 7 ▁by ▁the ▁Liberal ▁Government . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁term ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁Reform ▁Government ▁was ▁in ▁power ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁re app oint ed . ▁ ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁Wait aki ▁elect or ate ▁in ▁, ▁when ▁he ▁defeated ▁N orton ▁Francis ▁of ▁the ▁Reform ▁Party ▁by ▁ 3 0 7 0 ▁votes ▁to ▁ 2 9 1 4 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁next ▁general ▁election ▁in ▁,