John Shera
John McEffer Shera was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in Auckland, New Zealand.Biography
Early life
Shera was born in Ireland in 1840. He sailed to Australia in 1867 before continuing on to New Zealand a year later. He landed in Auckland and found work as a share broker. He married a daughter of Henry Balneavis, Jemima Balneavis, at St. Paul's Church in April 1873. His wife was part-Māori and Shera ensured that Māori women were included in the electoral reform bill that granted women's suffrage.Shera represented the City of Auckland multi-member electorate from 1890 to 1893, when he was defeated. He had previously stood unsuccessfully in 1887 for the electorate. He was a strong supporter of Sir George Grey.
He stood unsuccessfully in the 1902 election for the seat as an Independent Liberal.Shera died on 19 September 1906 at his residence in Remuera, Auckland.
