Leon Götz

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Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Script error: No such module "infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters". Sir Frank Leon Aroha Götz Template:Post-nominals (12 September 1892 – 14 September 1970) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. Noted as a colourful character, he was commonly referred to by parliamentary colleagues as "the pirate" as he wore a black patch over a missing eye.Template:Sfn

Biography

Early life and career

Götz was born in Auckland. He received his education in France (at the insistence of his Alsatian father) and at King's College, Wanganui Collegiate School, and Otago University. He was a rubber planter in Malaya from 1913. He served in World War I in the Malayan States Rifles and in the RAF, and lost his right arm and eye in an explosives accident. He returned to Malaya, but came to New Zealand again in 1925 when the rubber market collapsed.Template:Sfn

Until 1935, he was general manager of New Zealand reparation estates in Western Samoa. He was then a broadcaster for 2ZB, a radio station in Wellington. This was followed by working for an Auckland-based insurance company, of which he eventually became manager.Template:Sfn He had also worked in journalism and advertising as well, due to being a fluent linguist, a teacher of multiple languages.[1]

Political career

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In 1946, Götz unsuccessfully contested Template:NZ electorate link,Template:Sfn being beaten by Labour's Bill Anderton.Template:Sfn He then sought the National Party nomination for the Mount Albert by-election in 1947, but lost to Jack Garland.[2][3]

Götz then represented the Otahuhu electorate from 1949 to 1954.Template:Sfn In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[4] He was then the MP for Manukau from 1954 to 1963. In 1963 he was defeated when standing for Manurewa.Template:Sfn He was appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, Ministers for Civil Defence and Minister of Island Territories on 12 December 1960, and held these posts until his defeat three years later.Template:Sfn[5] He had been a backbencher for 11 years and was 68 years old, but Prime Minister Keith Holyoake thought him capable to be a minister despite Deputy Prime Minister Jack Marshall not thinking him qualified.Template:Sfn

He had ministerial responsibility for acclimatisation (as the New Zealand Wildlife Service was a division of the Department of Internal Affairs) and was caught returning from a duck shooting trip by a local ranger carrying more than the legal limit allowed, causing significant embarrassment for the government.Template:Sfn

As Internal Affairs was responsible for the 1963 Royal Tour, Götz was knighted at the end of the tour in 1963 by being appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order for personal services to the sovereign,Template:Sfn which caused some jealousy amongst his colleagues.Template:Sfn In March 1964, Götz was granted the right to retain the title of The Honourable in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council of New Zealand.[6]

Later life and death

From 1965 to 1968 he was the High Commissioner to Canada. While there he occupied much of his time hunting bears near the Arctic Circle.Template:Sfn When his term expired he retired to Rotorua.Template:Sfn Götz died on 14 September 1970 in Rotorua.Template:Sfn He was survived by his wife.[1]

Notes

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  1. ↑ a b Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  2. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  3. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  4. ↑ Script error: No such module "citation/CS1".
  5. ↑ New Zealand Parliamentary Debates, Vols. 327-337 (1961-1963).
  6. ↑ Script error: No such module "Citation/CS1".Script error: No such module "London Gazette util".

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References

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  • Obituaries in Evening Post, 14 September 1970 & New Zealand Herald, 15 September 1970
Diplomatic posts
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check High Commissioner to Canada
1965–1968 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Minister of Internal Affairs
1960–1963 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Minister of Island Territories
1960–1963 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Template:Error
Vacant
Constituency recreated after abolition in 1938
Title last held by
Arthur Osborne 		Member of Parliament for Manukau
1954–1963 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by
Preceded byTemplate:S-bef/check Member of Parliament for Otahuhu
1949–1954 Template:S-ttl/check 		Template:S-aft/check Succeeded by

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