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Roy Jack

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Sir Roy Jack
Roy Jack in 1959
16th Speaker of the House of Representatives
In office
22 June 1976 – 24 December 1977†
Prime MinisterRobert Muldoon
Preceded byStan Whitehead
Succeeded byRichard Harrison
In office
26 April 1967 – 9 February 1972
Prime MinisterKeith Holyoake
Jack Marshall
Preceded byRonald Algie
Succeeded byAlfred E. Allen
22nd Attorney-General
In office
9 February 1972 – 8 December 1972
Prime MinisterJack Marshall
Preceded byDan Riddiford
Succeeded byMartyn Finlay
35th Minister of Justice
In office
9 February 1972 – 8 December 1972
Prime MinisterJack Marshall
Preceded byDan Riddiford
Succeeded byMartyn Finlay
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Rangitīkei
In office
25 November 1972 – 24 December 1977
Preceded byNorman Shelton
Succeeded byBruce Beetham
Member of the New Zealand Parliament
for Waimarino
Patea (1954–1963)
In office
13 November 1954 – 25 November 1972
Preceded byWilliam Sheat
Succeeded byElectorate abolished
Deputy Mayor of Wanganui
In office
1947–1955
Personal details
Born
Roy Emile Jack

(1914-01-12)12 January 1914
New Plymouth, New Zealand
Died24 December 1977(1977-12-24) (aged 63)
Wellington, New Zealand
Political partyNational
Alma materVictoria University of Wellington
Military service
AllegianceNew Zealand New Zealand
Branch/serviceNew ZealandRoyal New Zealand Air Force
Years of service1939–1945
Rank Flight lieutenant

Sir Roy Emile Jack (12 January 1914 – 24 December 1977) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was a cabinet minister and Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Biography

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Early life and career

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Jack was born in New Plymouth in 1914. He was educated at Wanganui Collegiate School and graduated from the Victoria University with an LLB. Jack was a Judge's Associate from 1935–1938, before enlisting with the Royal New Zealand Air Force during World War Two.[1] He was first elected onto Wanganui City Council in 1946 and was deputy mayor in the following year. He served on the city council until 1955.[2]

Member of Parliament

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New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1954–1957 31st Patea National
1957–1960 32nd Patea National
1960–1963 33rd Patea National
1963–1966 34th Waimarino National
1966–1969 35th Waimarino National
1969–1972 36th Waimarino National
1972–1975 37th Rangitikei National
1975–1977 38th Rangitikei National

He represented the electorate of Patea from 1954 to 1963, then Waimarino from 1963 to 1972, then Rangitikei from 1972 to 1977 when he died.[3]

The Waimarino electorate became Rangitikei because of post-census boundary changes before the 1972 election, and though a sitting MP he was challenged by Ruth Richardson (who he had advised about a career in politics). George Chapman who chaired the selection said that "the tensions were tremendous, but Roy was finally confirmed as the candidate."[4] He had an election-night majority of 2067 in 1972, down from Shelton's 1969 majority of 4214.[1]

In the 1972 Marshall Ministry of the last year of the Second National Government, he was Attorney-General and Minister of Justice. He was Chairman of Committees between 1961 and 1966. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1967 to 1972 and 1976 to 1977.[2][1]

Death

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Jack underwent surgery in August 1977. He did not resume his parliamentary duties after this operation but stayed in his apartment in Parliament Buildings. He died in 1977 on Christmas Eve in his apartment with his family by his side.[5]

Honours

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In the 1970 Queen's Birthday Honours, Jack was appointed a Knight Bachelor, for outstanding services as Speaker of the House of Representatives.[2] In 1977, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal.[6]

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c Barry., Gustafson (1986). The first 50 years : a history of the New Zealand National Party. Reed Methuen. p. 323. ISBN 0-474-00177-6. OCLC 20247757.
  2. ^ a b c "Biographies of Speakers - New Zealand Parliament". www.parliament.nz. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  3. ^ O., Wilson, J. (1985). New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984. Government Printer. p. 207. OCLC 1057224732.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Chapman, George (1980). The years of lightning. Wellington [N.Z.]: Reed. p. 54. ISBN 0-589-01346-7. OCLC 14034648.
  5. ^ "Party leaders pay warm tributes to Sir Roy". The Press. 27 December 1977. p. 3. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
  6. ^ Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 199. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.

References

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  • 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.
  • Who's Who in New Zealand, 10th Edition 1961.
Political offices
Preceded by Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives
1961–1966
Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
1967–1972
1976–1977
Succeeded by
Preceded by Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Justice
1972
Succeeded by
Attorney-General
1972
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Patea
1954–1963
Constituency abolished
In abeyance
Title last held by
Paddy Kearins
Member of Parliament for Waimarino
1963–1972
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Rangitikei
1972–1977
Succeeded by