Peter Neilson (politician born 1879)

Peter Neilson (1879 – 3 November 1948) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Peter Neilson
Neilson in 1935
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Dunedin Central
In office 27 November 1935 – 27 November 1946
Preceded by	Charles Statham
Succeeded by	Philip Connolly
Personal details
Born	1879 Dunedin, New Zealand
Died	3 November 1948 Gisborne, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Mary Dalrymple Neilson
Occupation	Baker

Biography

Early life and career

He was born in Dunedin in 1879 and was educated locally at George Street Public School. He then became an apprentice baker before gaining employment at a local bakery firm. He was then a business partner of Jim Munro from 1914. When Munro was elected to Parliament in 1922 the partnership was dissolved and Nielson found employment as foreman at another bakery, which he held until 1935. He became a trade union member and was later president of the Dunedin Bakers' Union.[1]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1935–1938	25th	Dunedin Central		Labour
1938–1943	26th	Dunedin Central		Labour
1943–1946	27th	Dunedin Central		Labour

He had been active in the Socialist Party and Social Democratic Party, and had been a member of the Maori Hill Borough Council for four years.[2] He was elected to the Dunedin City Council at the 1935 local-body elections, serving until 1938.[3] Mayor Edwin Thoms Cox appointed Neilson chairman of the council's library committee for the triennium.[1]

Neilson had unsuccessfully stood in the Dunedin Central electorate in the 1931 election.[4] He stood again for Dunedin Central in Labour's landslide win in the 1935 election, holding the seat until 1946 election, when he retired from Parliament for personal reasons.[5] He was succeeded by fellow Labour member and future Minister of Defense Philip Connolly.

Later life and death

Neilson died on 3 November 1948 at Cook Hospital aged 69 after a three-week illness, survived by his wife and daughter.[1] He was buried at Taruheru Cemetery, Gisborne.[6]

Notes

1. "Former M.P. Dies: Mr. Peter Neilson". Gisborne Herald. LXXV (22785). 4 November 1948. p. 8. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
2. Gustafson, Barry (1986). From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. ?. ISBN 0-474-00138-5.
3. "Past Dunedin City Councils - Council 1929 - 1938". Dunedin City Council. Archived from the original on 26 September 2003. Retrieved 20 May 2019.
4. "Prospects in Otago". The New Zealand Herald. LXVIII (21037). 23 November 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 13 November 2014.
5. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 223. OCLC 154283103.
6. "Cemetery record search". Gisborne District Council. Retrieved 31 July 2018.

References

• Gustafson, Barry (1986). From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00138-5.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.