John Stewart (New Zealand politician) explained

John Stewart
Constituency Mp2:Arch Hill
Parliament2:New Zealand
Term Start2:1 September 1951
Term End2:13 November 1954
Predecessor2:Bill Parry
Successor2:Seat abolished
Office3:Member of the Auckland City Council
Term Start3:8 May 1935
Term End3:11 May 1938
Constituency3:At-large
Birth Date:23 April 1902
Birth Place:Greenock, Scotland
Death Place:Auckland, New Zealand
Party:Labour
Children:2

John "Jock" Skinner Stewart (23 April 1902 – 5 February 1973) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Biography

Early life and career

Stewart was born in Greenock, Scotland and served in the British Army during World War I.[1] He then emigrated to New Zealand when he was 24.[2] He later gained employment with the Auckland Transport Board as a clerk.[3]

During World War II he joined the military and was given a staff job as his medical grading prevented him from going abroad. At the end of 1942 he was released from service.[3]

Political career

In 1935 he was elected to the Auckland City Council on a Labour Party ticket where he was chairman of the Library Committee.[4] In both 1933 and 1938 Stewart was defeated standing for the City Council.[5] [6] He was also a member of the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board. In both the 1950 and 1956 local elections as well as a 1957 by-election he was the Labour Party's candidate for the Auckland mayoralty, placing second, third and second respectively. He initially intended to stand a mayoral candidate in 1953 as well. He was selected as Labour's nominee but later withdrew his candidacy.[7] [8]

Stewart was present as a delegate at the 1940 Labour Party Annual Conference. Whilst in attendance Stewart seconded MP Bill Schramm's successful motion to expel John A. Lee from the party. Later that year he stood for the Labour nomination at the Auckland West by-election following the death of Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage, but lost to Peter Carr.[9] Stewart then became chair of the Tamaki electorate committee and later Vice-President of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee.[2]

Member of Parliament

Stewart was selected as the official Labour candidate for in the scheduled 1941 general election.[3] He later contested the electorate in the, but lost to Clifton Webb.[10] He then contested in unsuccessfully.

He then represented the electorate in Auckland from to 1954 following the retirement of Bill Parry. In parliament Stewart became an agitator against the leadership of Walter Nash and successfully moved the motion in caucus to have a leadership election in mid-1954. Despite Stewart's efforts to replace Nash with Arnold Nordmeyer Nash was re-elected. The Arch Hill electorate was then absorbed into neighbouring electorates, and he was defeated in, standing for Eden.[11] Stewart was first on election night, with a provisional lead of 172, but after the 1,300 postal votes were counted he lost by a mere 8 votes to National's Duncan Rae.[12] At the 1956 Labour Party annual conference he challenged Mick Moohan for the party presidency, but was defeated in the delegate ballot.[13] At the 1957 conference he again challenged Moohan, but was again unsuccessful.[14]

Later life and death

After leaving parliament he returned to work as a clerk at the Auckland City Council until he retired in 1966.[1]

He died on 5 February 1973. He was survived by his wife and two sons.[1]

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Former MP dies in Auckland . . 16 February 1973 . 2.
  2. News: Candidates' Careers . . 17 November 1950 . 5 .
  3. News: Kaipara Seat . Evening Post . 26 August 1943 . 3 .
  4. News: Electoral . . 14 May 1935 . LXXII . 22108 . 16 .
  5. News: City Council Contest . . 4 May 1933 . LXX . 21482 . 10 May 2017 . 11 .
  6. News: Election of Mayor . . 18 May 1938 . LXXV . 23040 . 5 .
  7. News: Mayoralty of Auckland - Candidature of Mr J. S. Stewart, M.P. . . 15 April 1953 . LXXXIX . 27015 . 11 .
  8. News: Auckland Local Body Polls - Labour to Contest All Seats . . 29 May 1953 . LXXXIX . 27052 . 3 .
  9. News: Mr. Carr Is Labour Choice For Auckland W. . . 26 April 1940 . 16 January 2019 . 7.
  10. News: Electoral . 15 May 2017 . . 80 . 24713 . 13 October 1943 . 5.
  11. Book: Wilson, James Oakley . New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 . 4th . First ed. published 1913 . 1985 . V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer . Wellington . 154283103 . 236.
  12. News: Surprises in New Seats . . 15 November 1954 . 9 .
  13. News: Labour Party Officers - Mr Moohan Re-elected President . . 10 May 1956 . XCIII . 27964 . 15 .
  14. News: Labour Party Officers - Mr Moohan Again President . . 8 May 1957 . XCV . 28271 . 5 .