Biography James Gillespie Barclay

1 biography

1.1 life
1.2 political career
1.3 later life

biography
early life

barclay born in pigeon bay on banks peninsula. father morrison barclay. married helen betrice in 1907, widower time joined army. before world war i, farmer , lived in christchurch suburb of riccarton. served new zealand expeditionary force 1916 1919. bought property in pukehuia, northland, owned 1,600 acres (650 ha) near wairoa river. sold farm in 1931 , retired whangarei. served on several local boards in northland.

political career

barclay unsuccessfully stood against prime minister, gordon coates, in kaipara electorate in 1928 election. in 1931 election, unsuccessfully challenged incumbent in marsden electorate in northland, alfred murdoch. beat murdoch in 1935 election, defeated in turn murdoch after 2 parliamentary terms in 1943.

he cabinet minister in first labour government under peter fraser. minister of agriculture (1941–1943), minister of marketing (1941–1943), minister of lands (1943), , commissioner of state forests (1943).

he became high commissioner australia 1944 1950. appointment (and of other defeated candidate charles boswell) attracted criticism political appointments.

later life

a son, bruce barclay, member of parliament christchurch central 1969 1979. nephew, ron barclay, mp new plymouth 1966 1975.

james barclay died in christchurch in 1972.