Thomas Templeton Murray

Thomas Templeton Murray MC MM JP (20 November 1891 – 28 July 1966) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Thomas Murray
Murray in 1959
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Stratford
In office
13 November 1954  30 November 1963
Preceded byIn abeyance
(last held by William Polson)
Succeeded byDavid Thomson
Personal details
Born20 November 1891
Largs, Scotland
Died28 July 1966
Stratford, New Zealand
Political partyNational
ProfessionFarmer

Biography

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
19541957 31st Stratford National
19571960 32nd Stratford National
19601963 33rd Stratford National

Murray was born in Largs, Scotland, in 1891, and he received his education in his home country. He came to New Zealand in c.1910. During World War I he served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force and was awarded the Military Cross and Military Medal for his actions. After the conclusion of World War I he took up a soldier resettlement farm in Huiroa. His farm performed well and he was able to use profits to purchase a second farm in Toko in 1928.[1]

He was involved in community affairs as a justice of the peace, Stratford Borough Councillor, chairman of the Taranaki Education Board and Licensing Authority as well as president of Federated Farmers. He supported the establishment of the National Party and founded the Stratford electoral division of the National Party, also being electorate chairman from 1936 to 1939.[1]

In 1939 he rejoined the army and served in World War II. By the close of the war he had reached the rank of colonel.[1]

He represented the Stratford electorate from 1954, and he retired in 1963.[2] David Thomson succeeded him in Stratford.[3]

Murray died on 28 July 1966,[1] and he was buried at Kopuatama Cemetery, Stratford.[4]

Notes

  1. Gustafson 1986, p. 335.
  2. Wilson 1985, p. 222.
  3. Wilson 1985, p. 240.
  4. "Cemetery search". Stratford District Council. Retrieved 6 September 2015.

References

  • 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.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.