Arthur Kinsella

New Zealand politician

The Honourable

Arthur Kinsella

QSO

28th Minister of Education
In office
20 December 1963 – 22 December 1969
Prime Minister| Keith Holyoake
Preceded by| Blair Tennent
Succeeded by| Brian Talboys
38th Postmaster-General
In office
2 May 1961 – 20 December 1963
Prime Minister| Keith Holyoake
Preceded by| Thomas Hayman
Succeeded by| Jack Scott
8th Minister of Broadcasting
In office
12 December 1960 – 20 December 1963
Prime Minister| Keith Holyoake
Preceded by| Ray Boord
Succeeded by| Jack Scott
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Hauraki
In office
13 November 1954 – 29 November 1969
Preceded by| Andy Sutherland
Succeeded by| Leo Schultz
Personal details
Born| 15 January 1918
Waikino, New Zealand
Died| 4 March 2004
Paraparaumu, New Zealand
Political party| National
Children| 4

Arthur Ellis Kinsella QSO (15 January 1918 – 4 March 2004) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, and was a cabinet minister.

## Biography

[edit]

### Early life

[edit]

Kinsella was born at Waikino in 1918. He was educated at Waihi District High School, Waihi School of Mines, University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington and Auckland Teachers College; he graduated with MA and Diploma in Education. He was a farmer and teacher before becoming an MP.[1]

In World War II he served with NZ Engineer Forces (7th Field Company) in UK, Middle East and Greece where he was wounded and returned to New Zealand.

### Political career

[edit]

New Zealand Parliament Years  | Term  | Electorate  | Party

|
|
|

1954-1957  | 31st | Hauraki |  | National
1957-1960  | 32nd | Hauraki  |  | National
1960-1963  | 33rd | Hauraki  |  | National
1963-1966  | 34th | Hauraki  |  | National
1966-1969  | 35th | Hauraki  |  | National

Kinsella was elected as the Member of the rural electorate of Hauraki in the 1954 election.[2][3] He was Minister of Broadcasting (1960–1963)[4][5][6] in the second National Government under Keith Holyoake, overseeing the introduction of Television to New Zealand. He was Postmaster-General (1961–1963),[6][7] and was Minister of Education (1963–1969).[4][8][9] He retired from Parliament in 1969[2] following a bad car crash.[10]

As a minister he enabled private stations on radio and television (rather than limit them to direct state stewardship) via the Broadcasting Corporation amendment bill. He also faced a chronic shortage of telephones in New Zealand with a waiting list of 19,000 in the early 1960s. He lengthened the teacher training period from two years to three and attempted to reduce class sizes. He also established a new medical school in Auckland.[10]

In 1970 Kinsella was granted the right to retain the title of The Honourable for life.[11] In 1971 Kinsella was elected to the Auckland City Council serving one term.[12] Later, in 1983 he was elected to the Wellington City Council[13][14] He lost his seat three years later but regained a seat following a 1987 by-election.[15][16]

### Later life and death

[edit]

After his retirement from politics, he was a business consultant before his return to teaching as Principal of the Technical Correspondence Institute.[1]

In the 1992 New Year Honours, Kinsella was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.[17]

Kinsella died in 2004.[10]

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b Gustafson 1986, p. 325.
2. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 211.
3. ^ "Members of the House of Representatives Elected – General Election" (20 December 1960) 84 The New Zealand Gazette 2002
4. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 90.
5. ^ "Ministers Appointed" (12 December 1960) 82 The New Zealand Gazette 1944
6. ^ a b "Resignation of Ministers" (20 December 1963) 82 The New Zealand Gazette 2077
7. ^ "Ministers Appointed" (2 May 1961) 29 The New Zealand Gazette 642.
8. ^ "Ministers Appointed" (20 December 1963) 82 The New Zealand Gazette 2077
9. ^ "Resignation of Ministers" (22 December 1969) 84 The New Zealand Gazette 2679
10. ^ a b c Pickmere, Arnold (13 March 2004). "Obituary: Arthur Kinsella". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 October 2012.
11. ^ "Retention of the title 'Honourable'" (24 April 1970) 25 The New Zealand Gazette 750
12. ^ "Declaration of Result of Election". The New Zealand Herald. 22 October 1971. p. 11.
13. ^ Dawson, P.L. (25 October 1983). Declaration of Result of Election (Report). Wellington City Council.
14. ^ "Local Body Polls '83". The Evening Post. 10 October 1983.
15. ^ Bly, Ross (13 July 1987). Karori Ward By-Election (Report). Wellington City Council.
16. ^ "Declaration of Result of Election". The Evening Post. 14 July 1987.
17. ^ "No. 52768". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1991. p. 30.

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Arthur Kinsella.

* Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
* Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

New Zealand Parliament

Preceded by

Andy Sutherland

|  Member of Parliament for Hauraki
1954–1969  | Succeeded by

Leo Schultz

Political offices
Preceded by

Ray Boord

|  Minister of Broadcasting
1960–1963  | Succeeded by

Jack Scott

Preceded by

Thomas Hayman

|  Postmaster-General
1961–1963
Preceded by

Blair Tennent

|  Minister of Education
1963–1969  | Succeeded by

Brian Talboys

Preceded by

Gavin Wilson

|  Wellington City Councillor for Karori Ward
1987–1989  | Ward abolished