James Whyte Kelly

From Wikipedia the free encyclopedia

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1890–1893 11th Invercargill Liberal–Labour
1893–1896 12th Invercargill Liberal–Labour
1896–1899 13th Invercargill Liberal–Labour

James Whyte Kelly (1855 – 15 December 1938) was a 19th-century New Zealand politician, initially of the Liberal Party but later an Independent Liberal.

Biography[edit]

Kelly was born in 1855 at Carluke, South Lanarkshire, Scotland.[1] He became an orphan aged 14.[2] He learned the trade of a tailor, and married Elizabeth Millar, the daughter of James Millar of Motherwell in Lanarkshire. The couple emigrated in 1875 on the Aldergrove to New Zealand, landing in Port Chalmers in Otago.[1][3] They later moved south to Invercargill.[3]

He represented the Invercargill electorate in the House of Representatives from 1890.[4] He was in favour of land nationalisation and progressive taxes.[5]

In 1895, he broke away from the Liberal Party and became an Independent Liberal.[2] He was defeated in the 1899 election.[4]

From 1892 to 1894, Kelly served as president of the federated New Zealand Workers' Union.[6]

Kelly died on 15 December 1938.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Scholefield, Guy Hardy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L (PDF). Vol. I. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. p. 454. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  2. ^ a b "The New Parliament". Otago Witness. No. 2232. 10 December 1896. p. 20. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Mr. J. W. Kelly". Auckland Star. Vol. LXIX, no. 297. 16 December 1938. p. 3. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
  4. ^ a b Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 210. OCLC 154283103.
  5. ^ "Members's Views". Evening Star. 6 December 1890 – via Papers Past.
  6. ^ Martin, John E. (1987). Tatau Tatau — One Big Union Altogether: The Shearers and the Early Years of the New Zealand Workers' Union. New Zealand Workers' Union. p. 27. ISBN 0-473-00465-8.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Invercargill
1890–1899
Succeeded by