Sir George Robert Laking (15 October 1912 – 10 January 2008) was a New Zealand diplomat who served as High Commissioner to the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, Ambassador to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, Secretary of Foreign Affairs and
Chief Ombudsman.
Early life
Laking was born in
Auckland
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...
, and educated at
Auckland Grammar School
Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The most populous urban area in the country and the fifth largest city in Oceania, Auckland has an urban population of about I ...
, before completing his LLB at
Victoria University College
Victoria University of Wellington ( mi, Te Herenga Waka) is a university in Wellington, New Zealand. It was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a constituent college of the University of New Zealand.
The university is well know ...
. He started working in the New Zealand Customs Department in 1929, before moving to the Prime Minister's Department in the fledgling
Foreign Ministry In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...
. In 1940, Laking became head of the Organisation for National Security, managing the War Cabinet Secretariat, a post he held until 1948.
Early postings
In 1949, Laking was appointed Minister to the New Zealand Embassy in
Washington
Washington commonly refers to:
* Washington (state), United States
* Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States
** A metonym for the federal government of the United States
** Washington metropolitan area, the metropolitan area centered o ...
, serving as deputy to Ambassador
Carl Berendsen
Sir Carl August Berendsen (16 August 1890 – 12 September 1973) was a New Zealand civil servant and diplomat. After being in the Education and Labour Departments he joined the Prime Minister's Department in 1926, becoming its head in 1935. He ...
, for seven years. During this time, Laking was frequently the main point of contact between New Zealand and the US administration, owing to Berendsen's substantial involvement in the establishment of the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
as
Permanent Representative
A permanent representative is a diplomat who is the head of a country’s diplomatic mission to an international organisation.
Organizations that receive permanent representatives from their member states include the United Nations, the World Tr ...
to that organisation.
Laking returned to Wellington in 1956, following the death of deputy secretary
Foss Shanahan
Foss Shanahan (10 June 1910 – 13 September 1964) was a New Zealand diplomat and public servant.
Biography
Shanahan was born on 10 June 1910 at Alexandra. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' Boys' School in Dunedin and Waitaki Boys' Hig ...
, to act as Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs under
Alister McIntosh
Sir Alister Donald Miles McIntosh (29 November 1906 – 30 November 1978) was a New Zealand diplomat. McIntosh was New Zealand's first secretary of foreign affairs serving as the principal foreign policy adviser to Prime Ministers Peter Fraser, ...
. Laking was
Acting High Commissioner to London from 1958 to 1961.
Ambassador to Washington
Laking was based in Washington as
Ambassador to the United States
The following table lists ambassadors to the United States, sorted by the representative country or organization.
See also
*Ambassadors of the United States
Notes
{{reflist, 30em
External linksCurrent and former Ambassadors to the United Sta ...
from 1961 to 1967. This was considered to be the most important of New Zealand's foreign postings, due to the prominence of the United States, and the shift of allegiance away from the United Kingdom towards the US. During this time, the key themes were the assassination of President
John Fitzgerald Kennedy
John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK and the nickname Jack, was an American politician who served as the 35th president of the United States from 1961 until his assassination i ...
, and under President
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
, the tumultuous years of escalation of US involvement in
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
. Laking supported New Zealand involvement in Vietnam, and was under pressure from the US Government for New Zealand to send combat troops to the conflict. McIntosh was less supportive of the idea, but Defence Chiefs in Wellington, with the notable exception of Defence Secretary
Jack Hunn
Sir Jack Kent Hunn (24 August 1906 – 14 June 1997) was a New Zealand civil servant. Hunn served as Secretary of Defence, Secretary of Maori Affairs, Secretary of Justice, and Chairman of the Fire Service Commission.
Early life
Hunn was born in ...
, and politicians unwilling to offend US interests, supported the move.
Secretary of Foreign Affairs
In 1967, Laking returned to Wellington where he succeeded McIntosh in the posts of Secretary of Foreign Affairs and as head of the Prime Minister's Department. He held these positions his retirement in 1971. He was appointed a
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III.
...
in the
1969 New Year Honours
The New Year Honours 1969 were appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms of Queen Elizabeth II to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries. They were announced in supplements to the ''Lond ...
.
Chief Ombudsman
Laking was appointed an
Ombudsman
An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
in 1975, working under Sir
Guy Powles
Sir Guy Richardson Powles (5 April 1905 – 24 October 1994) was a New Zealand diplomat, the last Governor of Western Samoa and architect of Samoan independence, and New Zealand's first Ombudsman.
Early life
Powles was born in Otaki, north of W ...
. In 1977, Laking succeeded Powles as Chief Ombudsman, holding that post until 1984. He was made a
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, King George III.
It is named in honour ...
in the
1985 Queen's Birthday Honours.
Laking chaired the government commission which recommended changes in the alcohol licensing laws. These resulted in the 1989 Sale of Liquor Act.
Notes
References
* ''Notable New Zealanders. The Pictorial Who's Who'' (1979, Paul Hamlyn Ltd, Auckland)
*''An eye, an ear and a voice: 50 years in New Zealand’s external relations'' edited by
Malcolm Templeton
Malcolm James Campbell Templeton (12 May 1924 – 11 September 2017) was a New Zealand public servant and diplomat. He held a number of senior positions, including permanent representative to the United Nations, and deputy secretary of foreign ...
(1993, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Wellington NZ)
* ''Undiplomatic Dialogue: Letters between Carl Berendsen and Alister McIntosh 1943–1952'' edited by Ian McGibbon (1993, Auckland University Press, Auckland NZ)
* ''Unofficial Channels: Letters between Alister McIntosh and Foss Shanahan, George Laking and Frank Corner 1946–1966'' edited by Ian McGibbon (1999, Victoria University Press, Wellington NZ)
External links
Tribute to Sir George Laking from Prime Minister on TV One website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laking, George
1912 births
2008 deaths
Victoria University of Wellington alumni
New Zealand Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Ambassadors of New Zealand to the United States
New Zealand public servants
People educated at Auckland Grammar School
People from Auckland
High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom