Jim Thorn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 4thHigh Commissioner to Canada | |
| In office 12 May 1947 – 8 August 1950 | |
| Appointed by | Peter Fraser |
| Preceded by | David Wilson |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Hislop |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forThames | |
| In office 27 November 1935 – 27 November 1946 | |
| Preceded by | Albert Samuel |
| Succeeded by | Constituency abolished |
| 9thPresident of the Labour Party | |
| In office 3 April 1929 – 8 April 1931 | |
| Vice President | John Archer |
| Preceded by | John Archer |
| Succeeded by | Rex Mason |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 June 1882 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 21 November 1956 (1956-11-22) (aged 74) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour Party |
| Other political affiliations | IPLL Social Democratic |
| Spouse | Margaret Thorn |
| Profession | Journalist |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | New Zealand Army |
| Years of service | 1900–01 |
| Rank |  Bugler |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War |
James Thorn (1 June 1882 – 21 November 1956) was a New Zealand politician and trade unionist. He was an organiser and candidate for theIndependent Political Labour League,Social Democratic Party then theLabour Party.
Thorn was born inChristchurch, educated atChristchurch Boys' High School. He worked in theAddington Railway Workshops and as a journalist. Thorn was a bugler in the thirdNew Zealand Contingent to theBoer War in 1900 and 1901; the experience turned him into apacifist.[1] He was engaged in trade union and party activity, including 1909 to 1913 in England and Scotland.
He unsuccessfully stood for theIndependent Political Labour League in theChristchurch South electorate in the1905 and1908 election. In 1907 and 1908, he was President of the Independent Political Labour League.[1] In 1909, he went to England and then Scotland and worked for labour parties there.[2]
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1938 | 25th | Thames | Labour | ||
| 1938–1943 | 26th | Thames | Labour | ||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Thames | Labour | ||
In 1914, he moved to Palmerston North and unsuccessfully stood in the1914 election in thePalmerston electorate representing the newSocial Democratic Party against the incumbentDavid Buick and two others, with Buick getting elected.[1][3]
He met his future wife while living inPalmerston North;Margaret Anderson (1897–1969), 15 years his junior, who had joined the Social Democratic Party with her father. The Thorns married on 8 December 1917 inWellington.[4] He was imprisoned for opposing conscription inWorld War I.[1]
He was president of the Labour Party (1929–1931), and vice-president at various times (1925–1927; 1928–1929; 1936–1938), and national secretary (1932–1936).[5]
He unsuccessfully stood in theOtaki electorate in the1931 election.[2] He represented the electorate ofThames from 1935 to 1946, when the seat was abolished.[6] From 1943 to 1946 Thorn wasUnder-Secretary to the Prime Minister.[7] In the1946 election, he contested the Otaki electorate again, but was beaten byNational'sJimmy Maher.[8]
From 1947 to 1950 he wasHigh Commissioner to Canada, and was President ofUNESCO in 1949.[2] In 1952 he wrote a biography ofPeter Fraser and later published a history of theFirst Labour Government.[7] In 1953, he was awarded theQueen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[9]
Thorn died in 1956 and his ashes were buried atKarori Cemetery, Wellington.[10]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Thames 1935–1946 | Constituency abolished |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of the Labour Party 1929–1931 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Secretary of the Labour Party 1932–1936 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | High Commissioner to Canada 1947–1950 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
