Walter Carncross

Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use New Zealand English Sir Walter Charles Frederick Carncross (c. 1855 – 30 June 1940) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.

Biography

File:South Sea Islands Cruise, S.S. Mapourika, J.Allen, Cameron, Woods 1903, PH-NEG-2679 001 (cropped).jpg

Carnoss (left), William Thomas Wood and James Allen during the Parliamentary Excursion to South Sea Islands, 1903

Early life

Carncross was born in Bendigo, Victoria, in 1855 (or 1853). He came to Dunedin with his parents when he was seven years old. Carncross married Mary, a daughter of R. Johnston in 1883. He was to become a newspaper proprietor by trade, owning both the Taieri Advocate & Eltham Argus.Template:Sfn

Political career

He represented the Template:NZ electorate link electorate from Template:NZ election link year to 1902, when he retired.Template:Sfn

He was in favour of perpetual leasing of land and opposed the sale of the railways. He was opposed to women's suffrage and in 1891 deliberately moved an amendment that was intended to make the bill fail in the Legislative Council. His amendment was for women to become eligible to be voted into the House of Representatives. This infuriated the suffragette Catherine Fulton, who organised a protest at the Template:NZ election link. He served as the Liberal Party's Senior Whip in 1902, his last year in the lower houseTemplate:Sfn

He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 18 March 1903 by the Liberal Government, and at the expiry of his seven-year terms, he was reappointed five times; on 18 March 1910, on 17 March 1917 & 17 March 1924 by the Reform Government; 17 March 1931 by the United Government; and 16 March 1938 by the First Labour Government. His district was Taranaki, and then Eltham from 1917.

He served on the Council until his death.Template:Sfn He was elected Chairman of Committees on 6 July 1910 and served in this role until 1 November 1918,Template:Sfn when he became Speaker, succeeding the deceased Charles Johnston. He remained Speaker until 18 July 1939; his 21-year service as speaker was an Empire record. He was succeeded by Labour's Mark Fagan during the time of the First Labour Government.Template:Sfn

Carncross was appointed a Knight Bachelor in the 1922 King's Birthday Honours.Template:Sfn In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

Death

Carncross died on 30 June 1940 Template:Sfn at his home in Eltham, Taranaki. He was survived by Lady Carncross, a son and a daughter.