New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1890–1893 11th Invercargill Liberal–Labour
1893–1896 12th Invercargill Liberal–Labour
1896–1899 13th Invercargill Liberal–Labour

James Whyte Kelly (1855 – 15 December 1938) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician, initially of the Liberal Party but later an Independent Liberal.

Biography edit

Kelly was born in 1855 at Carluke, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.[1] He became an orphan aged 14.[2] He learned the trade of a tailor, and married Elizabeth Millar, the daughter of James Millar of Motherwell in Lanarkshire. The couple emigrated in 1875 on the Aldergrove to New Zealand, landing in Port Chalmers in Otago.[1][3] They later moved south to Invercargill.[3]

He represented the Invercargill electorate in the House of Representatives from 1890.[4] He was in favour of land nationalisation and progressive taxes.[5]

In 1895, he broke away from the Liberal Party and became an Independent Liberal.[2] He was defeated in the 1899 election.[4]

From 1892 to 1894, Kelly served as president of the federated New Zealand Workers' Union.[6]

Kelly died on 15 December 1938.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Scholefield, Guy Hardy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L (PDF). Vol. I. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 454. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b "The New Parliament". Otago Witness. No. 2232. 10 December 1896. p. 20. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Mr. J. W. Kelly". Auckland Star. Vol. LXIX, no. 297. 16 December 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 210. OCLC 154283103.
  5. ^ "Members's Views". Evening Star. 6 December 1890 – via Papers Past.
  6. ^ Martin, John E. (1987). Tatau Tatau — One Big Union Altogether: The Shearers and the Early Years of the New Zealand Workers' Union. New Zealand Workers' Union. p. 27. ISBN 0-473-00465-8.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Invercargill
1890–1899
Succeeded by