He resigned from Parliament on 26 March 1926 to take up his appointment as High Commissioner in London.[1][2] The resulting by-election was won by Rex Mason of the Labour Party,[7] because the Reform Party vote was split. As High Commissioner, Parr defended how New Zealand governed Western Samoa, which was C mandate under the League of Nations.[8] New Zealand repressed freedoms of the press, freedoms of association, and free speech in Samoa, as well as banished those who criticised New Zealand's rule.[8] Parr dismissed grievances that Samoans expressed about New Zealand's rule, describing them as a "simple and loveable race... ready to listen to any tale, and hence... most susceptible to the wiles of the agitator."[8] He argued against democracy for Samoans.[8] Parr falsely claimed that there was no "real Samoan desire for self-government."[8]
Parr was High Commissioner to the United Kingdom for just over three years (1 August 1926 – 31 December 1929).[9] On his return to New Zealand, he was appointed a member of the Legislative Council on 9 October 1931.[10] His wife died on 4 November 1933 and in mid November, he had been appointed High Commissioner again.[1] He resigned from the Legislative council effective 31 December 1933[10] and commenced his second term as High Commissioner the following day; a post that he held until 31 August 1936.[9] He retired in Berkhamsted, England and remarried there.[1]
