Blair Tennent

William Blair Tennent CBE (4 December 1898 – 1 May 1976), known as Blair Tennent, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party and a cabinet minister. In Palmerston North he was a dentist, and a local body politician.

The Honourable Blair Tennent CBE
Blair Tennent in 1954
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Palmerston North
In office 1949–1954
Preceded by	Ormond Wilson
Succeeded by	Philip Skoglund
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Manawatu
In office 1957–1966
Preceded by	Matthew Oram
Succeeded by	Les Gandar
27th Minister of Education
In office 12 December 1960 – 20 December 1963
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Preceded by	Philip Skoglund
Succeeded by	Arthur Kinsella
20th Mayor of Palmerston North
In office 1956–1959
Preceded by	Geoffrey Tremaine
Succeeded by	Gilbert Murray Rennie
Personal details
Born	4 December 1898 Greymouth
Died	1 May 1976 (aged 77)
Political party	National Party

Early life

Tennent was born at Greymouth on 4 December 1898 to Elizabeth Blair and her husband, David Tennent. He was dux at Greymouth District High School.[1]

Local body politics

Tennent was a councillor for Palmerston North City Council from 1933 to 1941. He was Mayor of Palmerston North from 1956 to 1959.[2][3]

He was on the Board of Governors for Palmerston North Boys' High School, and in 1954 led the conservative opposition to the appointment of Guthrie Wilson to head either Palmerston North Boys' High School or Freyberg High School because of the frank and sexually explicit language in his novels.[4]

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1949–1951	29th	Palmerston North		National
1951–1954	30th	Palmerston North		National
1957–1960	32nd	Manawatu		National
1960–1963	33rd	Manawatu		National
1963–1966	34th	Manawatu		National

Tennent represented the Palmerston North electorate from 1949 to 1954, when he was defeated by Philip Skoglund. He then represented the Manawatu electorate from 1957 to 1966, when he retired.[5]

He was Minister of Education in the Second National Government from 1960 to 1963.[5]

Later life

He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services in politics and education, in the 1973 New Year Honours.[6] Tennent died at his home in Palmerston North on 1 May 1976.[1]

References

1. Pilkington, Dorothy. "Tennent, William Blair - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 21 October 2011.
2. "1950s". Palmerston North City Council. Archived from the original on 9 January 2010. Retrieved 23 February 2010.
3. Matheson, Ian Roderick (2003). "Palmerston North Borough and City Councillors". Council and community: 125 years of local government in Palmerston North 1877-2002. pp. 91–97. ISBN 0-473-09340-5.
4. Guthrie Wilson by Julia Millen pp124-126 (2006, First Edition Ltd, Wellington) ISBN 1-877391-63-8
5. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. pp. 89, 239. OCLC 154283103.
6. "No. 45861". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 1 January 1973. p. 34.

Further reading

• Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.