Peter James O'Brien (8 June 1874 – 28 September 1947) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.
James O'Brien | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 5th Minister of Transport | |
| In office 9 December 1942 – 28 September 1947 | |
| Prime Minister | Peter Fraser |
| Preceded by | Bob Semple |
| Succeeded by | Fred Hackett |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Westland | |
| In office 7 December 1922 – 4 November 1925 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Seddon |
| Succeeded by | Tom Seddon |
| In office 14 November 1928 – 28 September 1947 | |
| Preceded by | Tom Seddon |
| Succeeded by | Jim Kent |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Peter James O'Brien 8 June 1874 Forest Creek, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 28 September 1947 (aged 73) Wellington, New Zealand |
| Political party | Labour |
| Spouse |
Kate Teresa Flaherty
(m. 1909) |
Early life
editO'Brien was born in 1874 at Forest Creek, near Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. His parents of Irish descent were Terence O’Brien, a miner, and Bridget O’Leary. He was christened Peter James, but his first name was never used; many knew him as Jim or Briney. After having worked as a miner in various Australian states, O'Brien emigrated to New Zealand in 1904 and found employment as a coalminer in Reefton.[1] O'Brien became active in the socialist circles that developed on the West Coast. He became president of the Westland Certificated Engine-drivers' and Firemen's Union, and was the president of the Runanga Co-operative Society.
Political career
edit| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1922–1925 | 21st | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1928–1931 | 23rd | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1931–1935 | 24th | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1935–1938 | 25th | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1938–1943 | 26th | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Westland | Labour | ||
| 1946–1947 | 28th | Westland | Labour | ||
Standing on a socialist ticket, he was voted onto the inaugural Runanga Borough Council in 1912. In 1913, he supported Paddy Webb's successful by-election campaign in the Grey electorate for the Social Democratic Party, and later became the president of the Runanga branch of the party.[1] He was a member of the Greymouth Borough Council for eight years and he was deputy mayor for three of them. He was also a member of the Grey Power Board. O'Brien was twice president of the Grey branch of the Labour Party and helped to establish the Grey River Argus as a Labour daily newspaper.[2]
He represented the Westland electorate in Parliament from the 1922 election, when he defeated Tom Seddon.[3] He lost the electorate in the 1925 election to Tom Seddon, but won it back in 1928, and held it to 1947, when he died.[3] He was the senior Government whip from 1939 until his promotion to the cabinet in 1942.[4]
He was a Minister in the First Labour Government. He was Minister of Transport (9 December 1942 – 28 September 1947), Minister of Marine (9 December 1942 – 28 September 1947), Minister of Labour (27 June 1946 – 19 December 1946) and Minister of Mines (27 June 1946 – 19 December 1946).[5] He remained an MP until his death, which caused a by-election held in December 1947 that was won by Labour's Jim Kent.[6]
In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[7]
Family and death
editO'Brien married Kate Teresa Flaherty on 29 June 1909 in Greymouth. He died in Wellington on 28 September 1947. His wife survived him; they had no children.[1]
Notes
edit- ^ a b c Richardson, Len. "O'Brien, James". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
- ^ "Political Career". Otago Daily Times. No. 26578. 29 September 1947. p. 4.
- ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 129.
- ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 280–281.
- ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 51.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 210.
- ^ "Official jubilee medals". The Evening Post. Vol. CXIX, no. 105. 6 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 17 November 2013.
References
edit
- Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.