David Barnes (politician)

David Barnes MP
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waitaki
In office 27 November 1935 – 15 October 1938
Preceded by	John Bitchener
Succeeded by	David Campbell Kidd
Personal details
Born	1894 England
Died	9 June 1970 New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Children	1

David Barnes (1894–9 June 1970) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Biography

Early life and career

Barnes was born and educated in England before migrating to New Zealand in 1908 with his parents. After arriving her became a farmer in the North Canterbury area until 1914 when he signed up for the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment in World War I. After being wounded at Gallipoli he returned to New Zealand where he became the first returned serviceman to join the pilot school at Sockburn by the Canterbury Aviation Company before returning to England to completed his pilot training. Subsequently, he served with English coastal defence forces until the end of the war. He returned to New Zealand to resume farming in North Canterbury, and later at Fairlie.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1935–1938	25th	Waitaki			Labour

In Fairlie he started a branch of the Labour Party. He was also a founding member and president of the Fairlie Crown Tenant's Association branch. He represented the Waitaki electorate from 1935 to 1938, when he was defeated by National candidate David Campbell Kidd. While in parliament he was a member of a parliamentary committee tasked with drafting the government's social security policies which later became the Social Security Act 1938.

In 1943 Barnes contested the Mid-Canterbury seat unsuccessfully.

Later life and death

After exiting parliament he was a member of the Rehabilitation Board and was then a Director of the State Advances Corporation from 1939 to 1954.

He later commanded the Home Guard in the Timaru district. In 1940 he joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in 1940, Mr Barnes was made Adjutant of the Rongatai Training School. He later toured the country as a member of the RNZAF recruiting committee. Mr Barnes retired to Christchurch after World War II. He was the Labour Party's candidate for the Christchurch Mayoralty in 1947. He finished second in a three-way contest to the sitting mayor Ernest Andrews.

Barnes died on 9 June 1970, aged 76. He was survived by his wife and daughter.

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.