Lee Martin (politician)
| The Honourable Lee Martin | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 15th Minister of Agriculture | |
|
In office 6 December 1935 – 21 January 1941 | |
| Prime Minister |
Michael Joseph Savage Pater Fraser |
| Preceded by | Charles MacMillan |
| Succeeded by | James Gillespie Barclay |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Raglan | |
|
In office 29 September 1927 – 1931 | |
| Preceded by | Richard Bollard |
| Succeeded by | Stewart Reid |
|
In office 27 November 1935 – 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Stewart Reid |
| Succeeded by | Robert Coulter |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
7 February 1870 Oamaru, New Zealand |
| Died | 21 December 1950 (aged 80) |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Children | Iris Martin (daughter) |
| Occupation | Painter |
William Lee Martin (7 February 1870 – 21 December 1950), known as Lee Martin, was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.
Biography
Early life
Martin was born in Oamaru in 1870. He received his education at Waimate District High School and at Christchurch Normal School. After school, he was an officer for The Salvation Army for six years.[1] Afterwards, he was a painter and joined the Labour movement in Wanganui in 1902,[2] was Secretary of the Wanganui Painters’ Union (1909–1912) and, for 4 years, a member of the Wanganui Technical School Board.[2] He became a dairy farmer at Matangi in the Waikato and had two years as president of the Waikato Farmers’ Union.[2] He was in the Salvation Army and Methodist Church and served for many years on school committees, road boards, factory suppliers' committees[2] and as a member of the Central Waikato Electric Power Board from its formation in 1920.[3]
Political career
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1927–1928 | 22nd | Raglan | Labour | |
| 1928–1931 | 23rd | Raglan | Labour | |
| 1935–1938 | 25th | Raglan | Labour | |
| 1938–1943 | 26th | Raglan | Labour | |
He was unsuccessful when he stood for Hamilton in 1925,[1] but in a 1927 by-election won Raglan, which was a big upset for the Reform Party.[4] He held Raglan until 1931.[5] He then lost it to Stewart Reid of Reform,[6] but won the electorate back in the 1935 general election.[5]
He was Minister of Agriculture from 1935 to 1941 in the First Labour Government, first under Savage and then under Fraser.[7]
He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 31 January 1946, and served there until his death on 21 December 1950, only days before the Legislative Council was abolished (on 31 December).[8] He was buried at Hamilton East Cemetery.[9] The nurse Iris Martin was his daughter.[10]
Notes
- 1 2 ""Distinct Vote of No Confidence"". Auckland Star. LVIII (231). 30 September 1927. p. 5. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 "Biographies In Brief". The Press. 6 December 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ↑ "The Prime Minister". The Press. 17 October 1938. p. 13. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
- ↑ "Labour Wins". Auckland Star. LVIII (231). 30 September 1927. p. 5. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- 1 2 Wilson 1985, p. 218.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 229.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 82–83.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 159.
- ↑ "Cemetery search". Hamilton City Council. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
- ↑ Burgess, Marie E. "Jessie Iris Martin". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
References
- Gustafson, Barry (1986). From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 290. ISBN 0-474-00138-5.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Richard Bollard |
Member of Parliament for Raglan 1927–1931 1935–1943 |
Succeeded by Stewart Reid |
| Preceded by Stewart Reid |
Succeeded by Robert Coulter | |