David Barnes (politician)

David Barnes (1895–4 June 1970) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

David Barnes
MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Waitaki
In office
27 November 1935 – 15 October 1938
Preceded byJohn Bitchener
Succeeded byDavid Campbell Kidd
Personal details
Born1895
England
Died4 June 1970
New Zealand
Political partyLabour
Children1

Biography

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Early life and career

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Barnes was born in 1895[1] and educated in England before migrating to New Zealand in 1908 with his parents. After arriving he became a farmer in the North Canterbury area until 1914 when he signed up for the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment in World War I. After being wounded at Gallipoli he returned to New Zealand where he became the first returned serviceman to join the pilot school at Sockburn by the Canterbury Aviation Company before returning to England to completed his pilot training. Subsequently, he served with English coastal defence forces until the end of the war. He returned to New Zealand to resume farming in North Canterbury, and later at Fairlie.[2]

Member of Parliament

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1935–1938 25th Waitaki Labour

In Fairlie he started a branch of the Labour Party.[2] He was also a founding member and president of the Fairlie Crown Tenant's Association branch.[3] He represented the Waitaki electorate from 1935 to 1938, when he was defeated by National candidate David Campbell Kidd.[4] While in parliament he was a member of a parliamentary committee tasked with drafting the government's social security policies which later became the Social Security Act 1938.[5]

In 1943 Barnes contested the Mid-Canterbury seat unsuccessfully.[6]

Later life and death

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After exiting parliament he was a member of the Rehabilitation Board and was then a Director of the State Advances Corporation from 1939 to 1954.[3]

He later commanded the Home Guard in the Timaru district.[3] In 1940 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in 1940, Mr Barnes was made Adjutant of the Rongatai Training School. He later toured the country as a member of the RNZAF recruiting committee. Mr Barnes retired to Christchurch after World War II.[2] He was the Labour Party's candidate for the Christchurch Mayoralty in 1947. He finished second in a three-way contest to the sitting mayor Ernest Andrews.[7]

Barnes died on 4 June 1970, aged 75. He was survived by his wife and daughter.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ GRO Online Index - 1895 Apr-May-Jun in Rochdale Volume 08E Page 80.
  2. ^ a b c "Obituary - Mr D. Barnes". The Press. Vol. CX, no. 32319. 10 June 1970. p. 14.
  3. ^ a b c Gustafson 1986, p. 275.
  4. ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 182. OCLC 154283103.
  5. ^ Gustafson 1986, p. 221.
  6. ^ "The General Election, 1943". National Library. 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  7. ^ "Christchurch Mayor Retains Seat". The New Zealand Herald. 20 November 1947. p. 8.
  8. ^ "Deaths". The Press. Vol. CX, no. 32316. 6 June 1970. p. 39.

References

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  • Gustafson, Barry (1986). From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00138-5.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Waitaki
1935–1938
Succeeded by