The suburb was named after Rose Mairehau (Maire) Hutton (née Rhodes), daughter of Arthur Rhodes, who in turn was Mayor of Christchurch in 1901–1902 and a major local property owner.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mairehau
Named after Rose Mairehau Hutton, née Rhodes, (1894- 1991). The New Zealand native shrub mairehau, Phebalium nudum, is named after Maire, an invisible Māori mist maiden.
Rose Hutton, known to her family as Maire, was the daughter of Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes (1859-1922), mayor of Christchurch in 1901, and his wife, Rosetta “Rose” Rhodes (1865?-1932). The Rhodes family owned land in the Marshland area.
During World War One, residents felt that the district needed a name to use when holding functions to farewell soldiers leaving for the front. When they read the account of Rose Rhodes’ wedding to Major George Frederick Hutton (1882?-1955) at Christ Church, Down Street, Piccadilly, London, on 9 December 1915, they decided to use her middle name. It was also a way of acknowledging the contribution of her parents to the district. Mr & Mrs Rhodes presented the district with a piano for their hall from their own home in appreciation of the naming of the district after their daughter.
https://christchurchcitylibraries.com/Heritage/PlaceNames/ChristchurchPlaceNames-A-M.pdf, Pg 176