Alexander Harris (New Zealand politician)

Alexander Harris (1878 – 24 August 1952) was a Member of Parliament for the Waitemata electorate in Auckland, New Zealand.

Birth and education

He was born in London in 1878, and educated at Dulwich College, London.[1][2]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1911–1914	18th	Waitemata		Reform
1914–1916	19th	Waitemata		Reform
1919–1922	20th	Waitemata		Reform
1922–1925	21st	Waitemata		Reform
1925–1927	22nd	Waitemata		Reform
1927–1928	Changed allegiance to:			Independent
1928–1931	23rd	Waitemata		Independent
1931–1935	24th	Waitemata		Independent

Alexander Harris represented Waitemata in the House of Representatives for 24 years from 1911 to 1935.[3][4]

Independent

In July 1927, Alex Harris publicly stated that he wanted more "freedom of action" and announced that he had "no intention of attending any caucuses of the Reform Party".[5][6]

Harris and his colleague, Vivian Potter, were opposed to Gordon Coates and his moves to introduce public ferries and buses to compete with private enterprise in Auckland; an approach they regarded as "socialist".[7] In retaliation, Coates removed Harris from his position as Chairman of the Commerce Select Committee.

Notes

1. The Evening Post (Wellington) 26 August 1952
2. The Daily Telegraph (Napier) 26 August 1952
3. Wilson 1985, p. 203.
4. Wood 1996, p. 92.
5. "Straying from Party". The New Zealand Herald. LXIV (19677). 1 July 1927. p. 10. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
6. Bassett 1995, p. 124.
7. Bassett 1995, pp. 108f.

References

• Bassett, Michael (1995). Coates of Kaipara. Auckland: Auckland University Press.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
• Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press.