Ted Meachen

Edwin Purcell Meachen MBE JP (11 November 1895 – 11 July 1970) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Ted Meachen MBE JP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Wairau
In office 27 November 1935 – 15 October 1938
Preceded by	Edward Healy
Succeeded by	seat abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Marlborough
In office 15 October 1938 – 27 November 1946
Preceded by	Edward Healy
Succeeded by	Tom Shand
27th Mayor of Blenheim
In office 1953–1962
Preceded by	Bert Mitchell
Succeeded by	Sid Harling
Personal details
Born	Edwin Purcell Meachen 11 November 1895 Wanganui, New Zealand
Died	11 July 1970 Blenheim, New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Relatives	Tristan Hegglun (son-in-law) Greg Hegglun (great-grandson)

Biography

Early life and career

Meachen was born in Whanganui in 1895. He was educated at Christchurch Marist Brothers' School and worked as a builder afterwards. During World War I he served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He fought in Gallipoli and France and was wounded twice.[1]

He resumed building after the war and also represented Mid-Canterbury at rugby union (1921-23) and Canterbury at rugby league (1924). He then moved to the King Country and was employed by the Ministry of Works building bridges and houses for railways. During this time he became active in the New Zealand Workers' Union and joined the Labour Party. In 1930 he relocated to Marlborough to construct a railway camp at Wharanui.[2]

Political career

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

He represented the Marlborough electorates of Wairau from 1935 to 1938, and then Marlborough from 1938 to 1946 when he was defeated.[3] He first stood for Wairau in 1931.

Meachen was Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Minister of Works from 1945 to 1946.[4]

He was the Mayor of Blenheim from 1953 to 1962 and Chairman of the Marlborough Catchment Board from its inception in 1955 until his death 1970.[5] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the community, particularly to local government, in the 1968 Queen's Birthday Honours.[6]

Later life and death

Meachen died in 1970 and was buried at Omaka Cemetery, Blenheim.[5][7]

Notes

1. Gustafson 1986, pp. 290.
2. Gustafson 1986, pp. 290-1.
3. Wilson 1985, pp. 219.
4. Wilson 1985, pp. 84.
5. Gustafson 1986, pp. 291.
6. "No. 44602". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 8 June 1968. p. 6340.
7. "Cemetery records search". Marlborough District Council. Retrieved 1 March 2015.

References

• Who’s Who in New Zealand (1961, 7th edition)
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
• Gustafson, Barry (1986). From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00138-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)