Mark Anthony Fagan (17 November 1873 – 31 December 1947) was a New Zealand politician of the
Labour Party and a union secretary. He was
Speaker of the Legislative Council from 1939 until his death.
Biography
Early life
Fagan was born at
Gaffneys Creek, Victoria, Australia, in 1873, and went to school in
Waratah, Tasmania
Waratah is a locality and town in North Western Tasmania adjacent to Savage River National Park. The town was constructed to support a tin mine
Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to:
Extraction or digging
* Miner, a person engaged in m ...
until he was 10. He then worked in various Australian towns as a miner. By the time he came to New Zealand about 1900, he had split from his first wife. In the West Coast mining community he was the "voice of thoughtful militancy in the 'Red' federation" of Labour.
His second marriage was to Monica McKittrick (née Gardiner), a widow with three children whom he married on 10 September 1917 in
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
.
Political career
Fagan was expected by many to stand in the
1918 Grey by-election
The Grey by-election of 1918 was a by-election during the 18th New Zealand Parliament. It was held on the 29 May 1918. The seat had become vacant due to the imprisonment of sitting member Paddy Webb who was jailed on the issue of his vocal oppo ...
after the sitting member,
Paddy Webb
Patrick Charles Webb (30 November 1884 – 23 March 1950) was a New Zealand trade unionist and politician.
Early life
Webb was born in Rutherglen, a small town in the Australian state of Victoria. His father, George Webb, was a miner, and P ...
, was jailed for his vocal opposition to conscription, but the Labour Party hierarchy chose
Harry Holland
Henry Edmund Holland (10 June 1868 – 8 October 1933) was an Australian-born newspaper owner, politician and unionist who relocated to New Zealand. He was the second leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.
Early life
Holland was born at G ...
from
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
instead based on the latter's strong showing in the
Wellington North by-election a few months prior.
Fagan stood in the
1925 general election in the
Motueka electorate, but was beaten by the incumbent,
Richard Hudson of the
Reform Party. In 1928, he moved to
Petone
Petone (Māori: ''Pito-one''), a large suburb of Lower Hutt, Wellington, stands at the southern end of the Hutt Valley, on the northern shore of Wellington Harbour. The Māori name means "end of the sand beach".
Europeans first settled in Pe ...
in the
Hutt Valley
The Hutt Valley (or 'The Hutt') is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zeala ...
and in the following year, he was the organiser for
Walter Nash
Sir Walter Nash (12 February 1882 – 4 June 1968) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 27th prime minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960. He is noted for his long period of political service, havin ...
's successful
Hutt by-election.
Fagan was on Labour's National Executive from 1930.
On 11 June 1930 he was appointed to the
Legislative Council by the
United Government, and at the end of each seven-year term, he was reappointed twice. He was reappointed by the
United-Reform Coalition on 11 June 1935, and was reappointed by the
First Labour Government on 11 June 1944. He was
Speaker
Speaker may refer to:
Society and politics
* Speaker (politics), the presiding officer in a legislative assembly
* Public speaker, one who gives a speech or lecture
* A person producing speech: the producer of a given utterance, especially:
** I ...
from 18 July 1939 until his death. He was a Minister without portfolio in the
first Labour Government from 6 December 1935 until 18 July 1939, and was acting Minister of Customs in 1939 when Walter Nash was overseas.
In 1935, he was awarded the
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal
The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V.
Issue
This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver J ...
.
Death
His wife Monica died in 1932, being survived by three daughters from her first marriage.
He died in
Petone
Petone (Māori: ''Pito-one''), a large suburb of Lower Hutt, Wellington, stands at the southern end of the Hutt Valley, on the northern shore of Wellington Harbour. The Māori name means "end of the sand beach".
Europeans first settled in Pe ...
, Wellington on 31 December 1947.
The Fagans are buried at
Karori Cemetery
Karori Cemetery is New Zealand's second largest cemetery, located in the Wellington suburb of Karori.
History
Karori Cemetery opened in 1891 to address overcrowding at Bolton Street Cemetery.
In 1909, it received New Zealand's first cremato ...
.
Notes
References
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fagan, Mark
1873 births
1947 deaths
Australian emigrants to New Zealand
Speakers of the New Zealand Legislative Council
Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
New Zealand Labour Party MLCs
Wellington Harbour Board members
Social Democratic Party (New Zealand) politicians
Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council
Unsuccessful candidates in the 1925 New Zealand general election
Burials at Karori Cemetery