James Esmond Farrell (14 October 1909 – 1 September 1968) was a New Zealand diplomat.
Farrell was born in Ashburton on 14 October 1909. He was educated at St. Thomas's Academy in Oamaru and Sacred Heart College in Auckland.[1] In 1935 he married Mercia Taylor with whom he had three sons and a daughter
He was a member of the Oamaru Trotting Club executive from 1931 to 1965 and was for 12 years president of the club and later vice-president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference. He also served for several years as a member of the Totalisator Agency Board. In World War II Farrell served in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.[2]
He attended the University of Canterbury, where he graduated bachelor of laws in 1945.[3] At university he was nominated for a Rhodes Scholarship.[2] Farrell was a barrister and solicitor and the senior partner in the legal firm of Hjorring, Tait and Farrell.[2] He was also a contributor to the Law Journal.[1]
Farrell studied international affairs at several European and American based organisations and lectured extensively on the subject himself. He was also a radio speaker on European and Commonwealth affairs. Farrell was the president of the Oamaru branch of the Royal Over-Seas League as well as an associate member of the British Atlantic Committee and the British Society for International Understanding.[1]
Farrell was the Oamaru electorate president of the National Party.[2] Farrell was also a member of the National Party's Dominion Council.[1] He had sought the National nomination for at the election, but was unsuccessful.[4]
In 1965 Farrell was appointed by the Second National Government as New Zealand's Resident High Commissioner to India. He held the post until 1968.[5]
He died in Oamaru on 1 September 1968. He was survived by his wife and four children.[2]
. Who's Who in New Zealand, 1964 . George Petersen (historian) . 1964 . 8th . . Wellington.