Clarence Skinner (politician)

Clarence Farrington Skinner MC (19 January 1900 – 26 April 1962) (also known as Gerry or Jerry) was a Labour politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and a Minister from 1943 to 1949 and 1957 to 1960 in the First and Second Labour governments.

Personal information

Skinner was in the New Zealand Army in the Middle East in World War II, rising to the rank of major. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1943 for mine clearing in North Africa.

Skinner married Julia Buckley Gray in 1924.

Member of Parliament

Skinner was a Member of Parliament from 1938 to 1962; he was MP for Motueka between 1938 and 1946 (having defeated new MP Keith Holyoake in 1938), then MP for Buller from 1946 to 1962.

Cabinet minister

Between 1943 and 1949 he held several ministries; Lands, Rehabilitation, Valuation and State Forests. From 1957 to 1960 he was Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Rehabilitation.

Following the Labour defeat at the 1960 election, Walter Nash favoured Gerry Skinner and then Fred Hackett to replace him when he retired as leader, but with the deaths of first Skinner and then Hackett, Nash was replaced by Arnold Nordmeyer when he resigned following the 1963 election.

References

• Who's Who in New Zealand, 7th Edition 1961.
• Obituary in Nelson Photo News
• Photo (downloadable) of Clarence Skinner as Minister of Rehabilitation