Robert Alexander Wright

The Honourable
Robert Alexander Wright
21st Mayor of Wellington
In office
1921–1925
Preceded by John Luke
Succeeded by Charles Norwood
Personal details
Born 1853
Died 1947
Political party Reform
Relations Hercules Richard Wright (brother)

Robert Alexander Wright (1853–1947) was the Mayor of Wellington from 1921 to 1925, and a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.

Biography

Parliamentary career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
19081909 17th Wellington South Independent
19091911 Changed allegiance to: Reform
19141919 19th Wellington Suburbs and Country Reform
19191922 20th Wellington Suburbs Reform
19221925 21st Wellington Suburbs Reform
19251928 22nd Wellington Suburbs Reform
19281931 23rd Wellington Suburbs Reform
19311935 24th Wellington Suburbs Reform
19351938 25th Wellington Suburbs Independent

He represented the Wellington South electorate in Parliament from 1908 to 1911 when he was defeated, then the Wellington Suburbs and Country electorate from 1914 to 1919 and the Wellington Suburbs electorate from 1919 to 1938. In the 1935 contest Wright stood as an Independent and was successful.[1] He was defeated for the Wellington West electorate in 1938.[1] In 1935 and 1938 he was not opposed by the National Party, and he habitually voted with National.[2]

He was Minister of Education from 1926 to 1928 in the Reform Government. Towards the end of the Coates Ministry, he was Minister of Labour for less than a fortnight.[3]

He was to stand for the National Party for Wellington Suburbs in the 1941 general election, which was postponed because of the war.[4]

Local politics

Wright stood for and was elected Mayor of Wellington in 1921, the same time as Wellington's first female Councillor, Annie McVicar, was elected. Wright was Mayor until 1925.[5] On 31 October 1924 Wright opened the de Lux Theatre on the corner of Cambridge Terrace and Majoribanks Street. In 1930 the building was sold and renamed the Embassy Theatre and was the site of the premiere of Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.[6]

A brother, Hercules Richard Wright was a notable Rugby League player.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Wilson 1985, p. 247.
  2. Milne, Robert Stephen (1966). Political Parties in New Zealand. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. p. 76.
  3. Wilson 1985, p. 79.
  4. Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. p. 295. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
  5. http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/history/mayors/1921.html
  6. http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/business/our-people/7339227/Cutting-edge-technology-in-historic-surroundings

References

Political offices
Preceded by
John Luke
Mayor of Wellington
19211925
Succeeded by
Charles Norwood
Preceded by
James Parr
Minister of Education
19261928
Succeeded by
Harry Atmore
New Zealand Parliament
In abeyance
Title last held by
John Luke
Member of Parliament for Wellington Suburbs
1919–1938
Succeeded by
Harry Ernest Combs
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Tuesday, February 16, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.