Eric Halstead
Eric Halstead CBE ED | |
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Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Tamaki | |
In office 30 November 1949 – 30 November 1957 | |
Preceded by | Tom Skinner |
Succeeded by | Bob Tizard |
Personal details | |
Born | 26 May 1912 Mangaweka, New Zealand |
Died | 18 June 1991 (aged 79) Auckland, New Zealand |
Political party | National |
Spouse(s) | Millicent Joan Stewart
(m. 1940) |
Alma mater | Auckland University |
Eric Henry Halstead CBE ED (26 May 1912 – 18 June 1991) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party and later a diplomat.
Biography[]
Early life and career[]
Halstead was born in Auckland in 1912, and educated at Auckland Grammar School and Auckland University where he attained a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Commerce. He was president of the Auckland University Students' Association for one year.[1] In 1940, he married Millicent Joan Stewart; they had four children.[citation needed]
He served as a major in the NZEF during World War II between 1941 and 1945.[1]
After being demobilized he became a teacher and was head of the commerce and accountancy department at Seddon Technical College from 1945 to 1949.[1]
Political career[]
New Zealand Parliament | ||||
Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
1949–1951 | 29th | Tamaki | National | |
1951–1954 | 30th | Tamaki | National | |
1954–1957 | 31st | Tamaki | National |
He represented the Tamaki electorate from 1949 to 1957, when he was defeated by Bob Tizard.[2] He held several cabinet posts during the last term of the First National Government including; Minister for Social Security from 1954 to 1956,Minister of Industries and Commerce and Minister for Customs from 1956 to 1957.[3] He was the minister assisting the Prime Minister in 1954, a role in which Halstead often found his time occupied by delivering messages between the Prime Minister Sidney Holland and the Deputy Prime Minister Keith Holyoake.[4]
Halstead remained an active member of the National Party. He was a longtime member of the party's Dominion Council, deputy-chairman of National's Auckland division and vice-president of the party.[5]
After his defeat in 1957 Halstead became a director of Air New Zealand.[1]
Diplomatic career[]
He later served as Ambassador to Thailand and Laos 1970–1973,[6][1] then Ambassador to Italy and concurrently from 1976–1980[7] and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia (while resident in Rome) 1977–1980.
Later life and death[]
In the 1980 New Year Honours, Halstead was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[1][8]
In 1989, a book put together by Halstead, entitled Freyberg's Men, was refused permission to be published by the New Zealand Government because it bore too close a resemblance to copyright material originally published by the New Zealand Army Board and War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs.[9]
He died in Auckland in 1991.[10]
Notes[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Gustafson 1986, p. 317.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 202.
- ^ Lambert & Palenski: The New Zealand Almanac, 1982. ISBN 0-908570-55-4
- ^ Gustafson 1986, pp. 69-70.
- ^ Gustafson 1986, pp. 230, 317.
- ^ New Zealand Heads of Overseas Missions - NZ Ministry of Fopreign Affairs and Trade
- ^ New Zealand Heads of Overseas Missions - NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade
- ^ "No. 48043". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1979. p. 26.
- ^ Gavin, McLean (2007). Whare Raupo. NZ: Reed. p. 229.
- ^ "New Zealand Herald". 22 June 1991.
References[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Eric Halstead. |
- 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 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
- 1912 births
- 1991 deaths
- People educated at Auckland Grammar School
- University of Auckland alumni
- New Zealand National Party MPs
- New Zealand people of World War II
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- People from Auckland
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to Thailand
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to Italy
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to Iraq
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to Saudi Arabia
- Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
- New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates
- Unsuccessful candidates in the 1957 New Zealand general election
- New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire