Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand politician)

New Zealand politician (1900–1981)

For other people named Robert Macfarlane, see Robert MacFarlane (disambiguation).

The Honourable

Sir Robert Macfarlane

KCMG

Robert Macfarlane in ca 1951

14th Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
21 January 1958 – 28 October 1960
Prime Minister| Walter Nash
Preceded by| Matthew Oram
Succeeded by| Ronald Algie
37th Mayor of Christchurch
In office
18 November 1950 – 17 May 1958
Preceded by| Ernest Andrews
Succeeded by| George Manning
In office
11 May 1938 – 17 May 1941
Preceded by| John Beanland
Succeeded by| Ernest Andrews
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Christchurch Central
In office
27 November 1946 – 29 November 1969
Preceded by| new electorate
Succeeded by| Bruce Barclay
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Christchurch South
In office
3 June 1939 – 27 November 1946
Preceded by| Ted Howard
Succeeded by| electorate abolished
Personal details
Born|

Robert Mafeking Haynes

(1900-05-17)17 May 1900
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died| 2 December 1981(1981-12-02) (aged 81)
Christchurch, New Zealand
Political party| Labour
Spouse|

Louisa Jacobs

(m. 1932)​

Children| 2

Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane KCMG (né Haynes, 17 May 1900 – 2 December 1981) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.

## Early life

[edit]

Macfarlane was born in Christchurch on 17 May 1900, the son of Emma Rose King Haynes.[1] Born during the Second Boer War, his mother gave him the middle name Mafeking from a town in South Africa that was under siege at the time of his birth.[2] In 1904, he took the surname Macfarlane after his mother married Hugh Macfarlane, a labourer.[1]

He married Louisa Jacobs in 1932 with whom he had two daughters.[1]

## Local body politics

[edit]

Macfarlane was on the Christchurch City Council (1927–1929, 1936–1941, 1947–1959, and 1961–1981),[3] and was Mayor of Christchurch twice, from 1938 to 1941 and from 1950 to 1958.[4] He was at various times a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board.[1]

## Member of Parliament

[edit]

New Zealand Parliament Years  | Term  | Electorate  | Party

|
|
|

1939-1943  | 26th | Christchurch South |  | Labour
1943-1946  | 27th | Christchurch South  |  | Labour
1946-1949  | 28th | Christchurch Central |  | Labour
1949-1951  | 29th | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1951-1954  | 30th | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1954-1957  | 31st | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1957-1960  | 32nd | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1960-1963  | 33rd | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1963-1966  | 34th | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour
1966-1969  | 35th | Christchurch Central  |  | Labour

Macfarlane entered Parliament in 1939 following a by-election, replacing Ted Howard (although Howard's daughter Mabel Howard had hoped to replace him following his death). He was the Member of Parliament for Christchurch South from 1939 to 1946, then for Christchurch Central from 1946 to 1969, when he retired.

From May 1947 until September 1947 he was the Labour Party's junior whip. He was subsequently Labour's senior whip from September 1947 until June 1951.[5]

### Speaker of the House of Representatives

[edit]

He was the 14th Speaker of the House of Representatives during the Second Labour Government (1957–60).[6] As the government held a working majority of one careful management was needed in the house to avoid the government losing a division. Macfarlane at times struggled with his hearing, which was known to be poor, which was further impeded when wearing the formal wig inside the chamber. Many MPs, particularly Keith Holyoake the Leader of the Opposition, would take advantage of this and would challenge, ignore and defy his rulings.[2] Regardless a vote was never lost and later Labour leader Bill Rowling credited Macfarlane's use of 'common sense rather than the rule book' with enabling the government to survive its full term in office.[1]

Macfarlane was given the job of speaker after failing to be elected to cabinet. He had wanted to be Minister of Internal Affairs.[2]

Under Arnold Nordmeyer, and more particularly, Norman Kirk Labour wanted to modernise itself and Macfarlane was among several MPs who became increasingly pressured to retire. In defiance of this he was re-nominated again by local members for the 1966 general election and his nomination was queried by head office.[7] He was allowed to stand again on the stipulation that he would not stand at the 1969 general election.[8]

## Honours

[edit]

In the 1954 Queen's Birthday Honours, Macfarlane was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George,[9] and in the 1974 New Year Honours he was elevated to Knight Commander of the same order.[10] In the 1985 New Year Honours, his wife, Louisa, Lady Macfarlane, was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for community service.[11]

## Military service

[edit]

In World War II he served in the Middle East in the ASC of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force for 2½ years.

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e Clark, Kath. "Macfarlane, Robert Mafeking". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
2. ^ a b c Tizard, R. J. (20 December 1993). "When MPs held on by self-discipline". The New Zealand Herald. p. 8.
3. ^ "Councillors of the City of Christchurch". Christchurch: Christchurch City Council. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 25 October 2013.
4. ^ "Chairmen and mayors". Christchurch: Christchurch City Council. Retrieved 10 February 2010.
5. ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 281\. OCLC 154283103.
6. ^ New Zealand. Parliament. House of Representatives (1982). Parliamentary Debates. Vol. 443\. p. 136.
7. ^ "To Plead Case of Labour M.P.". The Evening Post. 3 May 1966. p. 12.
8. ^ "Mr. Macfarlane Nominated to Stand Again". The Evening Post. 7 May 1966. p. 22.
9. ^ "No. 40190". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 10 June 1954. p. 3299.
10. ^ "No. 46163". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 1 January 1974. p. 35.
11. ^ "No. 49970". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1984. p. 2.

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand).

* Who's Who in New Zealand, 10th Edition 1971

## External links

[edit]

* Biography with photo at Trade Union website

New Zealand Parliament

Preceded by

Ted Howard

|  Member of Parliament for Christchurch South
1939–1946  | Constituency abolished
New constituency |  Member of Parliament for Christchurch Central
1946–1969  | Succeeded by

Bruce Barclay

Political offices
Preceded by

John Beanland

|  Mayor of Christchurch
1938–1941

1950–1958  | Succeeded by

Ernest Andrews

Preceded by

Ernest Andrews

| Succeeded by

George Manning

Preceded by

Matthew Oram

|  Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
1958–1960  | Succeeded by

Ronald Algie

Preceded by

Harold Smith

|  Deputy-Mayor of Christchurch
1971–1974  | Succeeded by

Peter Skellerup

Party political offices
Preceded by

Arthur Shapton Richards

|  Senior Whip of the Labour Party
1947–1951  | Succeeded by

Phil Connolly

* v
* t
* e

Christchurch City Council

Civic offices|

* Christchurch Land Office (1862–1887)
* Our City (1887–1924)
* The Civic (1924–1980)
* Tuam Street civic offices (1980–2010)
* Hereford Street civic offices (2010–present)

Companies and assets|

| held through CCHL
(ownership percentage)|

* City Care (100%)
* Ecocentral Ltd (100%)
* Enable Networks (100%)
* Christchurch Airport (75%)
* Lyttelton Port Company (79.3%)
* Orion New Zealand (89.3%)
* Red Bus (100%)

|

other assets|

* Art Gallery
* Botanic Gardens
* Christchurch Bus Interchange
* Canterbury Provincial Council Buildings
* Canterbury Museum
* Ferrymead Regional Park
* Hagley Park
* McDougall Art Gallery
* New Brighton Pier
* Sign of the Kiwi
* Sign of the Takahe
* Town Hall
* Tūranga
* Wastewater Treatment Plant

former assets|

* Christchurch Bus Exchange
* Christchurch Central Library
* Christchurch Convention Centre
* Queen Elizabeth II Park

Services|

* Christchurch City Libraries
* The Shuttle

Chairman (1862–1868)|

* John Hall
* John Ollivier
* Isaac Luck
* Edward Bishop
* William Wilson

Mayors (1868–present)|

| elected by councillors|

* William Wilson
* John Anderson
* Andrew Duncan
* James Jameson
* Henry Sawtell
* Edward Bishop
* Michael Hart
* Fred Hobbs

|

elected at large|

* Fred Hobbs
* James Gapes
* Henry Thomson
* Charles Thomas Ick
* James Gapes (2nd)
* George Ruddenklau
* Charles Hulbert
* Aaron Ayers
* Charles Louisson
* Samuel Manning
* Charles Gray
* William Prudhoe
* Eden George
* Thomas Gapes
* Walter Cooper
* Harry Beswick
* Walter Cooper (2nd)
* Charles Louisson (2nd)
* William Reece
* Arthur Rhodes
* Henry Wigram
* Charles Mathew Gray (2nd)
* John Hall
* George Payling
* Charles Allison
* Thomas Taylor
* John Joseph Dougall1
* Henry Holland
* Henry Thacker
* James Flesher
* Rev John Archer
* Dan Sullivan
* John Beanland
* Robert Macfarlane
* Ernest Andrews
* Robert Macfarlane (2nd)
* George Manning
* Ron Guthrey
* Neville Pickering
* Hamish Hay
* Vicki Buck
* Garry Moore
* Bob Parker
* Lianne Dalziel
* Phil Mauger

Mayoral elections|

| annual term|

* 1875†
* 1876
* 1877
* 1878
* 1879
* 1880
* 1881
* 1882†
* 1883
* 1884†
* 1885†
* 1886
* 1887†
* 1888†
* 1889†
* 1890
* 1891
* 1892
* 1893
* 1894
* 1895
* 1896
* 1897†
* 1898†
* 1899†
* 1901†
* 1902†
* 1903†
* 1904†
* 1905
* 1906†
* 1907†
* 1908
* 1909
* 1910†
* 1911
* 1912
* 1913
* 1914

|

biennial term|

* 1915
* 1917
* 1919
* 1921
* 1923
* 1925
* 1927
* 1929
* 1931
* 1933

triennial term|

* 1935
* 1936‡
* 1938
* 1941
* 1944
* 1947
* 1950
* 1953
* 1956
* 1958‡
* 1959
* 1962
* 1965
* 1968
* 1971
* 1974
* 1977
* 1980
* 1983
* 1986
* 1989
* 1992
* 1995
* 1998
* 2001
* 2004
* 2007
* 2010
* 2013
* 2016
* 2019
* 2022

* † Elected unopposed
* ‡ By-election
* 1 appointed following death of incumbent

* v
* t
* e

New Zealand Labour Party

Leadership

| Leaders
Names in bold served
as prime minister|

* Alfred Hindmarsh (1916–18)
* Harry Holland (1919–33)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1933–40)
* Peter Fraser (1940–50)
* Walter Nash (1950–63)
* Arnold Nordmeyer (1963–65)
* Norman Kirk (1965–74)
* Bill Rowling (1974–83)
* David Lange (1983–89)
* Geoffrey Palmer (1989–90)
* Mike Moore (1990–93)
* Helen Clark (1993–2008)
* Phil Goff (2008–11)
* David Shearer (2011–13)
* David Cunliffe (2013–14)
* Andrew Little (2014–17)
* Jacinda Ardern (2017–23)
* Chris Hipkins (2023–present)

* * *

|

Deputy leaders|

* James McCombs (1919–23)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1923–33)
* Peter Fraser (1933–40)
* Walter Nash (1940–51)
* Jerry Skinner (1951–62)
* Fred Hackett (1962–63)
* Hugh Watt (1963–74)
* Bob Tizard (1974–79)
* David Lange (1979–83)
* Geoffrey Palmer (1983–89)
* Helen Clark (1989–93)
* David Caygill (1993–96)
* Michael Cullen (1996–2008)
* Annette King (2008–11)
* Grant Robertson (2011–13)
* David Parker (2013–14)
* Annette King (2014–17)
* Jacinda Ardern (2017)
* Kelvin Davis (2017–23)
* Carmel Sepuloni (2023–present)

* * *

Leadership elections|

* 1919
* 1920
* 1921
* 1922
* 1923
* 1933
* 1940
* 1951
* 1954
* 1963
* 1965
* 1974
* 1980
* 1983
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1993
* 1996
* 2008
* 2011
* 2013
* 2014
* 2017
* 2023

Internal offices

| Party presidents|

* James McCombs (1916–17)
* Andrew Walker (1917–18)
* Tom Paul (1918–20)
* Peter Fraser (1920–21)
* Frederick Cooke (1921–22)
* Tom Brindle (1922–26)
* Bob Semple (1926–28)
* John Archer (1928–29)
* Jim Thorn (1929–31)
* Rex Mason (1931–32)
* Bill Jordan (1932–33)
* Frank Langstone (1933–34)
* Tim Armstrong (1934–35)
* Walter Nash (1935–36)
* Clyde Carr (1936–37)
* James Roberts (1937–50)
* Arnold Nordmeyer (1950–55)
* Mick Moohan (1955–60)
* Martyn Finlay (1960–64)
* Norman Kirk (1964–66)
* Norman Douglas (1966–70)
* Bill Rowling (1970–73)
* Charles Bennett (1973–76)
* Arthur Faulkner (1976–79)
* Jim Anderton (1979–84)
* Margaret Wilson (1984–87)
* Rex Jones (1987–88)
* Ruth Dyson (1988–93)
* Maryan Street (1993–95)
* Michael Hirschfeld (1995–99)
* Bob Harvey (1999–2000)
* Mike Williams (2000–09)
* Andrew Little (2009–11)
* Moira Coatsworth (2011–15)
* Nigel Haworth (2015–19)
* Claire Szabó (2019–22)
* Jill Day (2022–present)

* * *

|

General secretaries|

* John Glover (1916–19)
* Michael Joseph Savage (1919–20)
* Moses Ayrton (1920–22)
* Walter Nash (1922–32)
* Jim Thorn (1932–36)
* David Wilson (1936–40)
* Mick Moohan (1940–48)
* Allan McDonald (1948–71)
* John Wybrow (1971–85)
* Tony Timms (1985–95)
* Rob Allen (1995–2000)
* Mike Smith (2001–08)
* Chris Flatt (2008–12)
* Tim Barnett (2012–16)
* Andrew Kirton (2016–18)
* Andre Anderson (2018–20)
* Rob Salmond (2020–present)

* * *

Senior Whips|

* Andrew Walker (1916–19)
* James McCombs (1919–22)
* Dan Sullivan (1922–35)
* Bill Jordan (1935–36)
* Robert McKeen (1937–39)
* James O'Brien (1939–42)
* Arthur Shapton Richards (1942–47)
* Robert Macfarlane (1947–51)
* Phil Connolly (1951–52)
* Joe Cotterill (1952–58)
* Henry May (1958–72)
* Ron Barclay (1972–76)
* Roger Drayton (1976–78)
* Russell Marshall (1978–80)
* Jonathan Hunt (1980–84)
* Michael Cullen (1984–87)
* Margaret Austin (1987–90)
* Trevor Mallard (1990)
* Jonathan Hunt (1990–96)
* Mark Burton (1996–99)
* Rick Barker (1999–2002)
* David Benson-Pope (2002–04)
* Jill Pettis (2004–05)
* Tim Barnett (2005–08)
* Darren Hughes (2008–11)
* Rick Barker (2011)
* Chris Hipkins (2011–13)
* Sue Moroney (2013–14)
* Chris Hipkins (2014–16)
* Kris Faafoi (2016–17)
* Ruth Dyson (2017–19)
* Michael Wood (2019–20)
* Kieran McAnulty (2020–22)
* Duncan Webb (2022–23)
* Tangi Utikere (2023–present)

Organisation

| Current members
of parliament
Names without
electorates are list MPs
(List of former MPs)|

* Leader: Chris Hipkins (Remutaka)
* Deputy Leader: Carmel Sepuloni (Kelston)

* Ginny Andersen
* Camilla Belich
* Glen Bennett
* Rachel Boyack (Nelson)
* Rachel Brooking (Dunedin)
* Reuben Davidson (Christchurch East)
* Barbara Edmonds (Mana)
* Shanan Halbert
* Peeni Henare
* Willie Jackson
* Ingrid Leary (Taieri)
* Jo Luxton
* Kieran McAnulty
* Tracey McLellan
* Damien O'Connor
* Greg O'Connor (Ōhāriu)
* David Parker
* Willow-Jean Prime
* Priyanca Radhakrishnan
* Adrian Rurawhe
* Deborah Russell
* Jenny Salesa (Panmure-Ōtāhuhu)
* Lemauga Lydia Sosene (Māngere)
* Cushla Tangaere-Manuel (Ikaroa-Rāwhiti)
* Jan Tinetti
* Phil Twyford (Te Atatū)
* Tangi Utikere (Palmerston North)
* Ayesha Verrall
* Duncan Webb (Christchurch Central)
* Helen White (Mount Albert)
* Arena Williams (Manurewa)
* Megan Woods (Wigram)

* * *

|

Related organisations|

* City Vision
* The People's Choice
* Princes Street Labour
* Rainbow Labour
* Rātana
* VicLabour
* Young Labour

History

| History and related topics|

* Liberal–Labour
* Labour Unity Conferences
* Lee affair
* Black Budget
* Mason Affair
* It's Time
* Citizens for Rowling
* Moyle Affair
* Fish and Chip Brigade
* Rogernomics
* Māori loan affair
* Backbone club
* Closing the Gaps
* Helengrad
* Corngate
* Foreshore and seabed controversy
* KiwiSaver

* * *

|

Labour governments|

* First (1935–49)
* Second (1957–60)
* Third (1972–75)
* Fourth (1984–90)
* Fifth (1999–2008)
* Sixth (2017–23)

* * *

Shadow cabinets|

* Kirk
* Rowling
* Lange
* Moore
* Clark
* Goff
* Shearer
* Cunliffe
* Little
* Ardern
* Hipkins

* * *

Predecessor parties|

* New Zealand Liberal Party
* New Zealand Socialist Party
* Independent Political Labour League
* New Zealand Labour Party (1910)
* United Labour Party
* Social Democratic Party

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