Leslie Munro

The Honourable Sir Leslie Munro KCMG, KCVO
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Hamilton West
In office 1969 – 1972
Succeeded by	Dorothy Jelicich
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waipa
In office 1963 – 1969
Preceded by	Hallyburton Johnstone
14th President of the United Nations General Assembly
Preceded by	Wan Waithayakon
Succeeded by	Charles Habib Malik
3rd Minister from New Zealand in the United States
In office 1952–1958
Preceded by	Sir Carl Berendsen
Succeeded by	Lloyd White (as Chargé d'Affaires)
Personal details
Born	(1901-02-26)26 February 1901
Died	13 February 1974(1974-02-13) (aged 72) Hamilton, New Zealand
Spouse(s)	Christine Priestley (m. 1927) Muriel Sturt (m. 1931)

Sir Leslie Knox Munro, KCMG, KCVO (26 February 1901 – 13 February 1974) was a New Zealand lawyer, journalist, and politician of international standing.

Law and media

Munro studied at Auckland Grammar School and the University of Auckland, where he graduated with a Master of Laws in 1923. He became dean of the law faculty at the University of Auckland in 1938, and taught and administrated at the university in a variety of roles until 1951. Munro was also president of the Auckland District Law Society from 1936 to 1938. Munro gave radio talks on world events for the New Zealand National Broadcasting Service (NBS), and wrote for the New Zealand Herald, where he was editor from 1942 to 1951.

United Nations

1954 TV interview

Munro was a founding member of the New Zealand National Party, and held significant executive positions in the party, helping it to victory in the 1949 general election. In 1952 the new Prime Minister, Sidney Holland, appointed Munro the New Zealand ambassador to the United States, and the permanent representative of New Zealand to the United Nations. In that capacity he was president of the Trusteeship Council from 1953 to 1954 and President of the United Nations General Assembly for its twelfth session (1957–1958). He was also three times President of the Security Council, and was serving in that position at the outbreak of Suez Crisis in 1956. At the UN he was an outspoken critic of the Soviet response to the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, and was appointed the special representative for the 'Hungarian question'.

Munro was knighted in 1955 with a KCMG, followed by a KCVO in 1957. Although he was removed from his position as permanent representative in 1958 by the second Labour government he remained a special representative until 1962, and was also secretary-general of the International Commission of Jurists from 1961. He wrote the widely-read United Nations:Hope for a divided world in 1960. For the academic year 1960–1961, he was a Fellow on the faculty in the Center for Advanced Study at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut.[1]

National politics

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1963–1966	34th	Waipa		National
1966–1969	35th	Waipa		National
1969–1972	36th	Hamilton West		National

Munro returned to New Zealand and was elected a National Party Member of Parliament, first for Waipa in 1963 and then for Hamilton West in 1969. However, personal and professional antagonisms with two Prime Ministers Keith Holyoake then John Marshall prevented him from attaining high rank in those administrations, and he retired in 1972.

Private life

Munro was married twice, and had a daughter from each marriage. His first marriage, to Christine Priestley, lasted for two years, as it was cut short by her death in 1929 three days after the birth of their daughter. Munro's second marriage, to Muriel Sturt in 1931, was to last until his death in Hamilton in 1974.

References

• Reeves, Bernie (July 2003). "Me and the Cold War". Metro Magazine. Retrieved 25 May 2006. 
• "Sir Leslie Munro: 12th session". United Nations. Retrieved 25 May 2006. 
• Round, Derek. "Munro, Leslie Knox – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 4 April 2011. 

External links

• A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with Knox Leslie Munro" is available for free download at the Internet Archive [more]

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Wan Waithayakon	President of the United Nations General Assembly 1957–1958	Succeeded by Charles Habib Malik
Preceded by Sir Carl Berendsen	Minister from New Zealand in the United States 1952–1958	Succeeded by Lloyd White (as Chargé d'Affaires)
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Hallyburton Johnstone	Member of Parliament for Waipa 1963–1969	Vacant Constituency abolished, recreated in 1978 Title next held by Marilyn Waring
New constituency	Member of Parliament for Hamilton West 1969–1972	Succeeded by Dorothy Jelicich