John Luke
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Sir John Pearce Luke CMG (1858–1931) was Mayor of Wellington from 1913–1921 and Member of Parliament for Wellington suburbs 1908–1911 and Wellington North 1919–1928. His brother Charles Luke had previously also been Mayor of Wellington in 1895.
Born at St Just, near Penzance, Cornwall, England, Luke came to New Zealand with his parents in July 1874. He completed an apprenticeship as an engineer. Luke was first elected to the city council in 1898 and served between that year and 1911. He was responsible for the inauguration of the Wellington tramway system. For many years he was president of the New Zealand Engineers and Iron masters Association, and was actively associated with the Wellington Industrial Association, the Wellington District Hospital Board, the Wellington Technical Education Board, and the Navy League. The Returned Soldiers Association conferred upon them the honour of life membership of the organisation.
His political career began in 1908 with his election as member for Wellington Suburbs for the Liberal Party. From 1911 until 1918 he was not a member of Parliament, and was re-elected to Parliament in 1919, this time as representative for Wellington North. He held this seat continuously until 1928, when he was defeated by the Labour candidate by 47 votes.
Luke was married in 1880 to Jacobina McGregor. He was knighted in 1921, having previously been made CMG.
He was leader of the New Zealand delegation which visited South Africa in 1924 in connection with the Empire Parliamentary Association.
Lukes Lane in the Wellington CBD is named after Sir John.
