{{Short description|New Zealand soldier and public servant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}} '''Henry Colin Balneavis''' (15 March 1818<ref name="obit">{{cite news |title=Death of Colonel Balneavis |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS18760828.2.21 |access-date=19 September 2022 |work=Auckland Star |issue=2041 |date=28 August 1876}}</ref> – 26 August 1876) was a New Zealand soldier and public servant.
He was born in Ghent, United Kingdom of the Netherlands, the son of Lieutenant-General Henry Balneavis, a British Army officer and colonel commandant of the 65th Regiment.<ref name="DNZB Balneavis">{{DNZB|Clayton| Garry James|1b2|Henry Colin Balneavis}}</ref> At the age of 19, he was granted a commission in the 58th Regiment, which brought him to New Zealand in 1846.<ref name="obit"/> He played key roles on the British side of the New Zealand Wars until 1858, when he retired on half-pay with the New Zealand War Medal and a grant of land at Maraetai, and again from 1862 to 1864 during which he was made a lieutenant-colonel.<ref name="obit"/>
Balneavis married Meri Makarina Hineahua<ref name="DNZB Balneavis" /> (of Te Whakatōhea) and had six children: Hemaima, Louisa Hineiahua, Henry, Georgina, John Henry, and Mary.<ref name="Te Raumoa Balneavis" /> Hemaima, or Jemima, married John Shera,<ref name="Jemima">{{cite news |title=Untitled |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH18730418.2.12 |access-date=17 June 2024 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=X |issue=2877 |date=18 April 1873 |page=2}}</ref> while John Henry's son was Te Raumoa Balneavis.<ref name="Te Raumoa Balneavis">{{DNZB|title=Henare Te Raumoa Huatahi Balneavis|first= Ranginui |last= Walker|id=4b4|accessdate=20 April 2020|author-link=Ranginui Walker}}</ref>
He contested the 1858 Pensioner Settlements by-election, but was beaten by Captain Symonds.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=DSC18580504.2.14 |newspaper=Daily Southern Cross |page=3 |volume=XV |issue=1132 |date=4 May 1858 |accessdate=2 May 2013|title=The Elections}}</ref> Later he became Sheriff of Auckland as well as returning officer, and was the Italian Consul: as well as English he could also speak Italian, Arabic, Maltese, French, and Māori. At the time of his death he was especially remembered as the first violin of the Choral Society.<ref name="obit"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balneavis, Henry}} Category:1818 births Category:1876 deaths Category:58th Regiment of Foot officers Category:British emigrants to New Zealand Category:British military personnel of the New Zealand Wars Category:19th-century New Zealand military personnel Category:Flagstaff War Category:19th-century New Zealand public servants Category:Sheriffs of New Zealand
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