Jim Kent (politician)

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix =

|name = Jim Kent

|honorific-suffix =

|image = Jim Kent, 1960.jpg

|imagesize =

|caption =

|constituency_MP = Westland

|parliament = New Zealand

|term_start = 3 December 1947

|term_end = 26 November 1960

|predecessor = James O'Brien

|successor = Paddy Blanchfield

|birth_date = 1885

|birth_place = Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland

|death_date = 4 November 1970

|death_place = Greymouth, New Zealand

|birthname =

|nationality =

|party = Labour

|spouse = {{marriage|Jessie Ellen Pugh|1934}}

|relations =

|children = 3

}}

James Begg Kent (1885 – 4 November 1970) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He served as a Member of Parliament and was both a borough councillor and deputy mayor of Greymouth.

Biography

=Early life and career=

Kent was born in Dunoon, Argyll, Scotland, in 1885.{{cite news |work=The Evening Post |page=9 |title=Obituary |date=4 November 1970 }} There he studied as a sign writer at Dunoon Grammar School winning many awards before becoming a teacher at the same school. He then moved to London where he became the head sign writer for the London City Council works department. He became a member of the Independent Labour Party and served as a party organiser before being elected as a member of the Patrick Town Council.{{cite news |work=The Press |page=18 |title=Mr J. B. Kent served many organisations |date=5 November 1970 }}

Kent emigrated to New Zealand in 1909 and settled in Greymouth and established his own sign writer business. He then became secretary of the Grey Labour Paper Board which purchased the Grey River Argus in 1920 and was a director of the paper for 40 years. He then became a member of the Greymouth High School board of governors for 24 years from 1923 to 1947 and was chairman of its finance committee from 1941 to 1942.

In 1934, Kent married Jessie Ellen Pugh with whom he had three children. He was a member of the Westland Licensing Committee for 15 years and the Greymouth Civic Centre Board for two years. Kent was the inaugural president of the West Coast Athletic Council as well as a foundation executive member of the Greymouth Life-Saving and Surf Club, later serving 14 years as president and becoming a life member.

=Political career=

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{By-election link year|Westland|1947}}

|end = 1949

|term = 28th

|electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Westland}}

|party = New Zealand Labour Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1949}}

|end = 1951

|term = 29th

|electorate = Westland

|party = New Zealand Labour Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1951}}

|end = 1954

|term = 30th

|electorate = Westland

|party = New Zealand Labour Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1954}}

|end = 1957

|term = 31st

|electorate = Westland

|party = New Zealand Labour Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1957}}

|end = 1960

|term = 32nd

|electorate = Westland

|party = New Zealand Labour Party

}}

Kent became a founding member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and was the Greymouth branch delegate to the Grey District Workers' Council. When the SDP merged into the Labour Party Kent became president of the Westland Labour Representation Committee and later a member of the national executive of the party.

Kent was a Greymouth borough councillor from 1925 to 1947 and served twice as deputy mayor. On the council he was the chairman of both the library and traffic committees. In 1928 he was elected as a member of the Grey Electric Power Board and was the board's chairman for four terms. By extension he became a member of the national executive of the New Zealand Power Boards' Association.

In 1933, Kent was elected to the Grey Hospital Board and was chairman in 1942 and 1944. He was also a member of the Greymouth Harbour Board and he served as chairman between 1943 and 1946. Kent then became a member of the Greymouth Fire Board from 1944 to 1947.

In 1947, Kent put himself forward as a candidate for the Labour Party nomination for the Westland electorate at a by-election after the death of James O'Brien.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471016.2.116 |title=Westland Seat – Possible Candidates |work=The Press |volume=LXXXIII |issue=25316 |date=16 October 1947 |page=8 }} Though he was unsuccessful with Robert James Ware ultimately being selected.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19471024.2.11 |title=Labour Candidate For Westland Seat |work=Northern Advocate |date=24 October 1947 |page=2 }} Five days later however, Ware was taken ill suddenly on the same day he was due to open his campaign at a meeting in Ngahere. After receiving medical advice Ware withdrew his candidacy and Kent was selected as his replacement as the Labour candidate.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG19471030.2.12 |title=By-election in Westland – Labour Candidate Withdraws |work=Ashburton Guardian |volume=68 |issue=16 |date=30 October 1947 |page=2 }}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471101.2.126 |title=Westland Byelection – Mr J. B. Kent Labour Candidate |work=The Press |volume=LXXXIII |issue=25330 |date=1 November 1947 |page=8 }} He won the election and represented the West Coast electorate of Westland from 1947 to 1960, when he retired.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=210}} Kent was a well read man and well versed in classical literature. Despite this he was not confident as an orator and seldom spoke for the full hour allotted to him in the house, a habit which earned him frequent heckling from National MPs.{{sfn|Freer|2004|pp=113}}

=Later life and death=

Kent was elected as a member of the Grey County Catchment Board from 1965 to 1968. In 1966 he became president of the West Coast Composite Coal Committee for two years.

Kent died in Greymouth on 4 November 1970. He was survived by his two sons and a daughter, his wife having predeceased him by three years.

Notes

References

{{cite book |last= Freer |first= Warren |author-link= Warren Freer |title= A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer |year= 2004 |publisher= Victoria University Press |location= Wellington |isbn= 0-86473-478-6 }}
{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-date= 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}}
{{cite book |editor-last=Wood |editor-first=G. Anthony |title=Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament |year=1996 |publisher=Otago University Press |location=Dunedin}}

{{s-ttl | title=Member of Parliament for Westland | years=1947–1960}}

Category:New Zealand Labour Party MPs

Category:1885 births

Category:1970 deaths

Category:People from Dunoon

Category:People educated at Dunoon Grammar School

Category:Independent Labour Party councillors

Category:Scottish emigrants to New Zealand

Category:Social Democratic Party (New Zealand) politicians

Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives

Category:Deputy mayors of places in New Zealand

Category:Local politicians in New Zealand

Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates

Category:Members of district health boards in New Zealand