David Wilson (New Zealand politician)


David Wilson was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a minister in the First Labour Government.

Biography

Early life and career

He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, a tailor, and was a union organiser in Derbyshire, England, before migrating to Australia in 1911 and New Zealand in 1916. He became a Labour Party organiser, and assistant to Walter Nash then Jim Thorn. Wilson unsuccessfully stood for the Auckland City Council on a Labour ticket in the 1921 local elections.
Wilson served as the Labour Party's Secretary-Treasurer from 1936 until 1940.

Political career

He was a member of the New Zealand Legislative Council from 22 September 1937 to 21 September 1944, when his term ended; and 16 June 1947 to 31 December 1950, when the Council was abolished. He was a Member of the Executive Council in the First Labour Government: Minister without Portfolio from 8 November 1939 to 13 December 1949; Minister of Immigration and Minister for State Fire from 30 April 1940 to 12 April 1944; Minister of Broadcasting and Associate Minister of National Service from 21 January 1941 to 12 April 1944.

Diplomatic career

He was High Commissioner to Canada and New Zealand delegate to the UN General Assembly 1944–47, and to FAO 1945, UNESCO and UNICEF 1946–47.

Later life and death

A 91-year old Wilson was a guest of honour at the first meeting of caucus following Labour's victory in the 1972 election and oversaw the election of the cabinet for the Third Labour Government.
He died in Wellington Hospital on 24 August 1977.