Ron Barclay | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forNew Plymouth | |
| In office 26 November 1966 – 29 November 1975 | |
| Preceded by | Ernest Aderman |
| Succeeded by | Tony Friedlander |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ronald Morrison Barclay (1914-09-02)2 September 1914 Little River, New Zealand |
| Died | 29 April 2003(2003-04-29) (aged 88) New Plymouth, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse | |
| Relations | Jim Barclay (uncle) Bruce Barclay (cousin) |
| Children | 2 |
Ronald Morrison BarclayQSO MBE JP (2 September 1914 – 29 April 2003) was a New Zealand politician of theLabour Party.
Born inLittle River, New Zealand in 1914,[1] he received his education at theChristchurch Technical College.[2] When he was 12 his father died and the burden of financial provision for his family fell to him at an early age which curtailed his aspiration of training to be a teacher which in later life he admitted still causing him to feel embittered.[3]
He came from a deeply political family with his father, Morrison Barclay, being aLiberal Party member and his uncle John was aReform Party member. Barclay's other uncleJim Barclay represented theMarsden electorate for the Labour Party from1935 until his defeat in 1943.[4] His cousinBruce Barclay representedChristchurch Central for the Labour Party from1969 until his death in 1979.[4] He himself joined the Labour Party and in 1933 he was a campaign committee member forDan Sullivan's mayoral campaign in Christchurch. Likewise in1935 he was a campaign committee member forTim Armstrong inChristchurch East.[3]
Barclay married Joy Margaret Lusty in 1940 and they had one son and one daughter.[2][5] Barclay was on home service duringWorld War II. Following the war he became a farmer, purchasing land inKaiwaka. In 1955 he and his family moved toNew Plymouth and took over ownership of a shoe store at the suggestion of mayor Everard Gilmour.[3]
He was a member of the Auckland Education Board (1949–1954) and theNew Plymouth High School board (1958–1960). He was a member of the Taranaki Hospital board from 1960 to 1966. He was a trustee of theTSB Bank from 1958, and was the bank's president in 1963 and 1974.[2]
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1966–1969 | 35th | New Plymouth | Labour | ||
| 1969–1972 | 36th | New Plymouth | Labour | ||
| 1972–1975 | 37th | New Plymouth | Labour | ||
Upon his discharge from the army he became active in his local branch of the Labour Party and was on the party campaign committee in theRodney electorate in both the1946 and1949 elections. He was invited to be Labour's candidate in Rodney at the1951 election but declined, citing family responsibilities. He was likewise offered the candidacy in1954 but again refused as he was preparing to leave the electorate and was already in the process of selling his farm.[3]
Barclay eventually agreed to stand for theHouse of Representatives in1957 for theTaranaki electorate ofNew Plymouth, but was narrowly defeated. He stood twice more unsuccessfully in1960 and1963 before finally winning the seat on the fourth attempt in1966.[4]
He served as Senior Government Whip inNorman Kirk's 1972–1975Government, and colleagueWarren Freer said Barclay was an outstanding whip. When Barclay realised thatArthur Faulkner had the votes to win the first ballot for deputy toBill Rowling in1974, he got Freer (who was not interested in the position, but who agreed that Faulkner was not leadership material) nominated to split the first ballot vote. They both preferred eitherColin Moyle (Barclay) orBob Tizard (Freer), and Tizard won on the fourth ballot.[6][7] He was the first DeputyChairman of Committees (1975).[8] He was unexpectedly defeated in the swing against Labour in the1975 election.
He declined the offer to stand for New Plymouth in1978 election and subsequently he entered local politics serving as a New Plymouth city councillor from 1977 to 1989, including three years asdeputy mayor.[5]
Barclay was appointed aMember of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community, in the1978 New Year Honours.[9] In the1986 New Year Honours, he was made aCompanion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[10] In 1990, Barclay was awarded theNew Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[11]
Barclay died in New Plymouth on 29 April 2003[1] and his ashes were buried in Awanui Cemetery.[12] He was survived by his wife Joy.[13] Ron Barclay Drive in the New Plymouth coastal suburb ofFitzroy was named in his honour in 2004.[14]
| New Zealand Parliament | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament for New Plymouth 1966–1975 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Senior Whip of the Labour Party 1972–1975 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| New creation | Deputy Chairman of Committees 1975 | Succeeded by |