Alexander Harris (New Zealand politician)
Alexander Harris (1878 – 24 August 1952) was a Member of Parliament for the Waitemata electorate in Auckland, New Zealand.
Birth and education
He was born in London in 1878, and educated at Dulwich College, London.[1][2]
Member of Parliament
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–1914 | 18th | Waitemata | Reform | ||
| 1914–1919 | 19th | Waitemata | Reform | ||
| 1919–1922 | 20th | Waitemata | Reform | ||
| 1922–1925 | 21st | Waitemata | Reform | ||
| 1925–1927 | 22nd | Waitemata | Reform | ||
| 1927–1928 | Changed allegiance to: | Independent | |||
| 1928–1931 | 23rd | Waitemata | Independent | ||
| 1931–1935 | 24th | Waitemata | Independent | ||
Alexander Harris represented Waitemata in the House of Representatives for 24 years from 1911 to 1935.[3][4]
Independent
In July 1927, Alex Harris publicly stated that he wanted more "freedom of action" and announced that he had "no intention of attending any caucuses of the Reform Party".[5][6]
Harris and his colleague, Vivian Potter, were opposed to Gordon Coates and his moves to introduce public ferries and buses to compete with private enterprise in Auckland; an approach they regarded as "socialist".[7] In retaliation, Coates removed Harris from his position as Chairman of the Commerce Select Committee.
Notes
- The Evening Post (Wellington) 26 August 1952
- The Daily Telegraph (Napier) 26 August 1952
- Wilson 1985, p. 203.
- Wood 1996, p. 92.
- "Straying from Party". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXIV, no. 19677. 1 July 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
- Bassett 1995, p. 124.
- Bassett 1995, pp. 108f.
References
- Bassett, Michael (1995). Coates of Kaipara. Auckland: Auckland University Press.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
- Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press.