John Mathison was famed for his skills as a chairman and well known for his "unmistakably Scottish" accent, eloquent speeches and dry sense of humour.
23 Facts About John Mathison
1.
2.
John Mathison worked as a shop steward for a wool mill where he first became involved in trade unionism, joining the National Union of General Workers.
3.
John Mathison then found employment as a woollen worker at the Kaiapoi woolen mills.
4.
John Mathison became the president of the Tramway Workers' Union from 1928 to 1932.
5.
At the meeting where the union voted to strike John Mathison cautioned against it stating that if a strike was to occur Christchurch "will be plunged into the first installment of an industrial war".
6.
John Mathison resigned from his role there upon his election to Parliament.
7.
John Mathison was the chairman of the Christchurch Unemployed Workers' Union.
8.
John Mathison joined the Labour Party two weeks after arriving in New Zealand.
9.
John Mathison was a member of the Christchurch City Council from 1933 to 1958 when he resigned upon being elected a cabinet minister.
10.
John Mathison stood as the Labour Party's candidate for Mayor of Christchurch in the 1968 election, but was beaten by councillor Ron Guthrey.
11.
John Mathison was still chairman at the time of his death.
12.
John Mathison unsuccessfully stood for the Hurunui electorate in 1946.
13.
John Mathison represented the Christchurch electorate of Avon from a by-election in 1947 to 1972, when he retired.
14.
John Mathison became the chairman of the caucus transport committee and from 1952 until 1958 he was the Labour Party's junior whip.
15.
John Mathison stood for the vice-presidency but was likewise unsuccessful losing to the incumbent, Martyn Finlay.
16.
John Mathison was a cabinet minister from 1957 to 1960 in the Second Labour Government.
17.
John Mathison served as Minister of Transport, Minister of Island Territories, Minister of Tourism and Minister of Civil Aviation.
18.
When in opposition, John Mathison was Shadow Minister of Transport, Marine, Railways and Tourism under Norman Kirk who had a fond respect for him, despite John Mathison voting for Arnold Nordmeyer in the 1965 leadership challenge.
19.
John Mathison considered Kirk the most democratic leader Labour had ever had and appreciated how he let caucus members openly "say their piece" in ways never allowed under Fraser, Nash or Nordmeyer, and he regretted that the newer Labour MPs would be unable to make this comparison.
20.
Kirk had wanted John Mathison to remain in Parliament in order to appoint him Speaker of the House following a Labour victory, thinking that he would be 'firm but fair' to assist an inevitably inexperienced Labour government.
21.
John Mathison was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1973 New Year Honours, for services to politics.
22.
John Mathison became a trustee of the Canterbury Savings Bank and was president of the board for two years.
23.
John Mathison died in Christchurch on 12 October 1982, aged 81.