Cecil Henry "Matt" Benney was a New Zealand civil servant and politician.
14 Facts About Matt Benney
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Matt Benney came from a family closely associated with mining, his father was the manager of the Golden Dawn Mining Company in Waihi, and his grandfather was in charge of gold mines in Hauraki.
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Matt Benney was educated at Komata School and then Thames High School winning a university scholarship.
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Matt Benney married Phyllis Marjorie Jenkins in 1928 with whom he had one son, David, who went on to become a groundbreaking mathematician.
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Matt Benney joined the civil service in 1919 gaining employment at the Wellington offices of the Mines Department.
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Matt Benney held the position until 1959 when he retired.
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Matt Benney was chairman of the Wellington section, a member of the executive, and vice-president of the PSA, and has served on a large number of special committees in the public service.
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Matt Benney was elected, on the Citizens' Association ticket, to the Wellington City Council in 1962 remaining a member until 1966 when he resigned citing a possible conflict of interests which may arise following his appointment as Executive Director of the Wellington Gas Company.
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Matt Benney was involved in a public selection controversy in 1965, when he was chosen as the Citizens' nominee for the mayoralty by the association's executive.
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Matt Benney was still elected to the council and remained deputy mayor until his resignation from the council in 1966.
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The council decided to neither hold a by-election or make an appointment to fill Matt Benney's vacated seat leaving the council with only 14 members for just over a year.
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Matt Benney then became president of the Wellington Horticultural Society from 1966 to 1967.
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In November 1966 Matt Benney was appointed by the government as arbiter in a strike by tug boat engineers.
14.
Matt Benney was later appointed by the government as chairman of a committee of inquiry into New Zealand's taxi and rental car industry.