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David Spence Thomson CMG MC ED PC (14 November 1915 – 25 October 1999) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Biography

Thomson was born in Stratford, the son of former Stratford mayor Percy Thomson. He was a dairy farmer.

He served in the Army in the Middle East in World War II and was a Prisoner of War in 1942. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) later in 1942. He married June Grace Adams in April 1942. They had one son and three daughters.[1]

In the post-war years he was chairman of Federated Farmers.[2] In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[3]

Parliamentary career

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1963–1966 34th Stratford National
1966–1969 35th Stratford National
1969–1972 36th Stratford National
1972–1975 37th Stratford National
1975–1978 38th Stratford National
1978–1981 39th Taranaki National
1981–1984 40th Taranaki National

Thomson was first elected to Parliament, representing the Stratford electorate, in 1963 as a member of the National Party. He was returned for that electorate in every election until 1978, when it was disestablished. He served two terms as the Member of Parliament for Taranaki (the replacement seat) from 1978 to 1984, when he retired.

When Thomson entered Parliament, Keith Holyoake's government was in its second term. Thomson was appointed a minister in the government's third term, after the 1966 election. He initially held the roles of Minister of Defence,[4] Minister in charge of Publicity, War Pensions and Rehabilitation, and Minister Assistant to the Prime Minister. Later he was also Minister of Tourism.[5] For the government's fourth and final term, from 1969 to 1972, Thomson was Minister of Police and latterly in 1972 was Minister of Immigration.[6]

Thomson won re-election in 1972 but National was unable to form a government. He served as National's Labour and Immigration spokesperson under Jack Marshall, and as Justice, Police and Immigration spokesperson under Robert Muldoon.

National formed a new government in 1975. Thomson was Minister of Justice from 1975 to 1978[7] and Minister of Defence and Leader of the House from 1978 to 1984, when he retired.[8]

In the 1993 New Year Honours, Thomson was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services.[9]

Footnotes

  1. ^ Who's Who in New Zealand, 8th edition 1964
  2. ^ David E. Walter: Stratford: Shakespearean Town Under The Mountain. Stratford District Council 2005. ISBN 1-877399-05-1
  3. ^ "Coronation Medal" (PDF). Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette. No. 37. 3 July 1953. pp. 1021–1035. Retrieved 20 March 2022.
  4. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 90, 94.
  5. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 90.
  6. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 91.
  7. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 94.
  8. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 240.
  9. ^ "No. 53154". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1992. p. 29.

References

  • 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.
  • Stratford District Centenary, R Habershon, (1978, Stratford District Council Centennial Committee)

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Police
1969–1972
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Justice
1975–1978
Succeeded by
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Stratford
1963–1978
Constituency abolished
In abeyance
Title last held by
Charles Bellringer
Member of Parliament for Taranaki
1978–1984
Succeeded by
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