Sir Thomas Lachlan Macdonald KCMG (14 December 1898 – 11 April 1980) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He served as Minister of Defence (1949–1957), Minister of External Affairs (1954–1957), and Minister of Island Territories (1955–1957), and was New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1961–1968).
Sir Tom Macdonald | |
|---|---|
 Thomas Macdonald in 1954 | |
| High Commissioner of New Zealand to the United Kingdom | |
| In office March 1961 – May 1968 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Sir Clifton Webb |
| Succeeded by | Sir Denis Blundell |
| Minister of Defence | |
| In office 13 December 1949 – 26 September 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland |
| Preceded by | Fred Jones |
| Succeeded by | Dean Eyre |
| Minister of External Affairs | |
| In office 26 November 1954 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Clifton Webb |
| Succeeded by | Walter Nash |
| Minister of Island Territories | |
| In office 26 November 1954 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Clifton Webb |
| Succeeded by | John Mathison |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Thomas Lachlan Macdonald 14 December 1898 Invercargill, New Zealand |
| Died | 11 April 1980 (aged 81) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Political party | National Party |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Branch/service | New Zealand Expeditionary Force |
| Years of service | 1918–1919 1940–1943 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | First World War |
Early life and war service edit
Macdonald was born in Invercargill on 14 December 1898,[1] to parents Thomas Forsaith Macdonald, a farmer, and Margaret Ann Matheson. One of his great-grandfathers, Thomas Forsaith, was a member of the 1st New Zealand Parliament. Macdonald was educated at South School and Southland Boys' High School. He served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Palestine in the First World War, and in the Second World War he served in Egypt, rising to the rank of captain until he was invalided home in 1943.[2]
Political career edit
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1938–1943 | 26th | Mataura | National | ||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Mataura | National | ||
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Wallace | National | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Wallace | National | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Wallace | National | ||
| 1954–1957 | 31st | Wallace | National | ||
Macdonald was the Member of Parliament for Mataura 1938 to 1946, then Wallace 1946 to 1957, when he retired.[3] He was Minister of Defence (1949–1957), Minister of External Affairs (1954–1957), and Minister of Island Territories (1955–1957) in the First National Government.[4][5] From 1961 to 1968 he was the New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.[1]
Later life and death edit
In the 1963 New Year Honours, Macdonald was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.[6] He died in 1980.[1]
Mount Macdonald in Antarctica was named for him by the New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (1961–62).[7]
Notes edit
- ^ a b c Gustafson 1986, p. 329.
- ^ Templeton, Malcolm (1 September 2010). "Macdonald, Thomas Lachlan – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 214.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 87.
- ^ New Zealand Parliamentary Debates, Vols. 307–314 (1955–1956).
- ^ "No. 42872". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1963. p. 39.
- ^ "Mount Macdonald". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
References edit
- 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 published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.