Peter Gordon (politician) explained

Honorific-Prefix:The Right Honourable
Peter Gordon
Order:10th Minister of Transport
Primeminister:Keith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
Term Start:12 December 1966
Term End:8 December 1972
Predecessor:John McAlpine
Successor:Basil Arthur
Constituency Mp3:Clutha
Parliament3:New Zealand
Term Start3:1960
Term End3:1978
Predecessor3:James Roy
Successor3:Robin Gray
Birth Name:John Bowie Gordon
Birth Date:23 July 1921[1]
Birth Place:Stratford, New Zealand
Party:National
Parents:William Gordon
Doris Gordon
Relatives:Graham Gordon (brother)

John Bowie Gordon (23 July 1921  - 17 March 1991), known as Peter Gordon, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Biography

Gordon was born in Stratford in 1921 to Stratford doctors William and Doris Gordon. Like his two brothers, he attended St Andrew's College, Christchurch, where he was a boarder from 1935 to 1937.[2] He then attended Lincoln College and the Nuffield School in farming in Crookston, Minnesota.

In World War II, he was a flight lieutenant and pilot for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. After the war, he was a farmer and joined many organisations, where he had leading roles with the West Otago A & P Association (president), Farmers' Mutual Insurance (director, 1952–1960), and Shaw, Savill & Company (member of the New Zealand Advisory Board, 1956–1960).

Gordon was the Member of Parliament for Clutha from to 1978, when he retired for health reasons. With Robert Muldoon and Duncan MacIntyre he was one of the three 'Young Turks' of the National Party, a "ginger group" who entered Parliament in 1960.[3]

In 1966 the Prime Minister at the time Keith Holyoake promoted Gordon to the Cabinet,[4] along with several other backbenchers including future Prime Minister Robert Muldoon.[5] In the Second National Government under Keith Holyoake, he was made Minister of Railways (1966–1972), Minister of Transport (1966–1972), and Minister of Civil Aviation (1966–1968). He maintained the transport and railways portfolios under Jack Marshall in 1972, and was made Minister of Marine and Fisheries.

In the Third National Government under Muldoon, Gordon was from 1975 Minister of Labour and Minister of State Services until his retirement in 1978. He was made a Privy Councillor in 1978, and a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1990 New Year Honours. He died in 1991.

References

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Notes and References

  1. Book: Who's who in the World. 1982. Marquis Who's Who, Inc.. Chicago. Volume 18.
  2. St Andrew’s College 1916-1966 (1968, Christchurch) No 1058 p. 208
  3. News: Obituary: Duncan MacIntyre. The New Zealand Herald. 16 June 2001. 16 May 2010.
  4. News: Clark's Cabinet must be refreshed to maintain its vigour. The New Zealand Herald. Colin. James. 16 May 2010 . 20 January 2004.
  5. News: New blood needed to hold on to power. . Colin . James . 16 May 2010 . 12 September 2005.