George Warren Russell
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The Honourable George Warren Russell |
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File:George Warren Russell.jpg | |
4th Minister of Public Health | |
In office 28 March 1912 – 10 July 1912 |
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Prime Minister | Thomas Mackenzie |
Preceded by | David Buddo |
Succeeded by | Heaton Rhodes |
In office 12 August 1915 – 25 August 1919 |
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Prime Minister | William Massey |
Preceded by | Heaton Rhodes |
Succeeded by | Francis Bell |
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Riccarton |
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In office 1893 – 1896 |
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Succeeded by | William Rolleston |
In office 1899 – 1902 |
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Preceded by | William Rolleston |
Succeeded by | George Witty |
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Avon |
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In office 1908 – 1919 |
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Preceded by | William Tanner |
Succeeded by | Dan Sullivan |
Personal details | |
Born | London, England |
24 February 1854
Died | Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist. Eastbourne, New Zealand |
Political party | Liberal |
Other political affiliations |
Radical Party |
George Warren Russell (24 February 1854 – 28 June 1937) was a New Zealand politician from Christchurch. He served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Minister of Public Health in the wartime National government, and was responsible for the New Zealand government's response to the 1918 influenza epidemic.
Private life
Russell was born in London, England, in 1854. His father was a bricklayer and builder. The family emigrated to Tasmania when he was still a child, and then moved again to New Zealand in 1864. Russell worked as an apprentice journalist, before trying to become a Wesleyan Methodist minister. When that was unsuccessful, he returned to journalism, working on the Evening Chronicle in Wellington and founding the Manawatu Herald in Foxton. He moved to Christchurch in 1889. In 1898, he took over the Spectator, a magazine he would edit until 1928.[1]
Political career
Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
1893–1896 | 12th | Riccarton | Liberal | |
1899–1902 | 14th | Riccarton | Liberal | |
1908–1911 | 16th | Avon | Liberal | |
1911–1914 | 17th | Avon | Liberal | |
1914–1919 | 18th | Avon | Liberal
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Russell contested the 1881 election in the Foxton electorate, where he was third of six candidates, beaten by James Wilson.[2] He unsuccessfully contested the Waikato electorate in the 1887 election; he was beaten by John Blair Whyte.[3]
He first entered Parliament as MHR for Riccarton in 1893. A member of the Liberal Party's "left" (radical) wing, he was a strong critic of Premier Richard Seddon, and at the 1896 election attempted to form a Radical Party to push for stronger reforms. He maintained only a tenuous hold on his electorate, losing it in 1896 to William Rolleston, but regaining it in 1899 with a majority of one vote over Rolleston, which brought an end to that political career.[4] Russell lost the Riccarton electorate again in 1902. In 1908, he won the Avon electorate, and held it for the next 11 years.
Russell was considered a possible Liberal leader in 1912 when Joseph Ward resigned, and served in the cabinet of Thomas Mackenzie. He later served in the wartime National cabinet, holding the portfolios of Internal Affairs, Public Health and Hospitals, as well as a number of lesser responsibilities. As Minister of Public Health, he was responsible for the decision to allow the Niagara to dock in Auckland in 1918, and was blamed for the resulting Spanish Flu epidemic which killed at least 8000 New Zealanders. As a result, he lost his electorate in the 1919 election. He unsuccessfully contested the 1921 by-election for Auckland East, and Avon again in the 1922 general election, but was never again elected to Parliament.
In 1935, Russell was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[5]
Death
Russell died on 28 June 1937 in Eastbourne, Wellington.[1] He was buried at Holy Trinity Avonside in Christchurch.[4]
References
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New Zealand Parliament | ||
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New constituency | Member of Parliament for Riccarton 1893–1896 1899–1902 |
Succeeded by William Rolleston |
Preceded by | Succeeded by George Witty |
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Preceded by | Member of Parliament for Avon 1908–1919 |
Succeeded by Dan Sullivan |
Political offices | ||
Preceded by | Minister of Public Health 1912 1915–1919 |
Succeeded by Heaton Rhodes |
Preceded by | Succeeded by Francis Bell |
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Academic offices | ||
Preceded by | Chairman of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College 1907–1910 |
Succeeded by Jonathan Charles Adams |
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- Use dmy dates from September 2011
- Pages with broken file links
- 1854 births
- 1937 deaths
- New Zealand Liberal Party MPs
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- New Zealand MPs for Christchurch electorates
- Chancellors of the University of Canterbury
- People from Foxton, New Zealand
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1881
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1887
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1896
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1902
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1919
- Unsuccessful candidates in the New Zealand general election, 1922
- Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
- English emigrants to Australia
- English emigrants to New Zealand
- Burials at Holy Trinity Avonside
- New Zealand journalists