Clarence Farrington Skinner, MC

Military Cross

The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

, (19 January 1900 – 26 April 1962) (also known as Gerry or Jerry) was a Labour

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

 politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand

Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand

The Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand is second most senior officer in the Government of New Zealand, although this seniority does not necessarily translate into power....

 and a Minister 1943 – 1949 and 1957 – 1960 in the First

First Labour Government of New Zealand

The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. It set the tone of New Zealand's economic and welfare policies until the 1980s, establishing a welfare state, a system of Keynesian economic management, and high levels of state intervention...

 and Second

Second Labour Government of New Zealand

The Second Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1957 to 1960. It was most notable for raising taxes on alcohol, cigarettes and petrol, a move which was probably responsible for the government lasting for only one term....

 Labour governments.

Personal information

Skinner was in the New Zealand Army

New Zealand Army

The New Zealand Army , is the land component of the New Zealand Defence Force and comprises around 4,500 Regular Force personnel, 2,000 Territorial Force personnel and 500 civilians. Formerly the New Zealand Military Forces, the current name was adopted around 1946...

 in the Middle East in World War II, rising to the rank of Major. He was awarded the Military Cross (M.C.)

Military Cross

The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....

 in 1943 for Mine Clearing in North Africa.

Skinner married Julia Buckley Gray in 1924.

Member of Parliament

Skinner was a Member of Parliament from 1938 to 1962; he was MP for Motueka

Motueka (New Zealand electorate)

Motueka is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. The electorate of Motueka and Massacre Bay, created for the New Zealand general election, 1853, was succeeded by the electorate of Motueka in the 1860-1861 election, and lasted until 1890...

 1938 – 1946 (having defeated new MP Keith Holyoake

Keith Holyoake

Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ was a New Zealand politician. The only person to have been both Prime Minister and Governor-General of New Zealand, Holyoake was National Party Prime Minister from 20 September 1957 to 12 December 1957, then again from 12 December 1960 to 7...

 in 1938

New Zealand general election, 1938

The 1938 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 26th term. It resulted in the governing Labour Party being re-elected, although the newly-founded National Party gained a certain amount of ground.-Background:The Labour Party had won...

), then MP for Buller

Buller (New Zealand electorate)

Buller is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972.-History:Early members for Buller were:*Eugene O'Conor from 1871 to 1875 and again from 1884 to 1893 *Joseph Henry from 1876 to 1879...

 1946 – 1962.

Cabinet minister

In 1943–1949 he held several ministries; Lands, Rehabilitation, Valuation and State Forests. From 1957 to 1960 he was Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Rehabilitation.

Following the Labour defeat at the 1960 election

New Zealand general election, 1960

The 1960 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 33rd term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the National Party, putting an end to the short second Labour government.-Background:...

, Walter Nash

Walter Nash

Sir Walter Nash, GCMG, CH served as the 27th Prime Minister of New Zealand in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960, and was also highly influential in his role as Minister of Finance...

 favoured Gerry Skinner and then Fred Hackett

Frederick Hackett

The Hon. Frederick Hackett was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.-Member of Parliament:He was the Member of Parliament for Grey Lynn from 1943 to 1963, when he died. He replaced John A...

 to replace him when he retired as leader, but with the deaths of first Skinner and then Hackett, Nash was replaced by Arnold Nordmeyer

Arnold Nordmeyer

Sir Arnold Henry Nordmeyer, ONZ, KCMG , born Heinrich Arnold Nordmeyer, was a New Zealand politician. He was leader of the Labour Party for three years while it was in Opposition.-Early life:...

 when he resigned following the 1963 election

New Zealand general election, 1963

The 1963 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 34th term. The results were almost identical to those for the previous election, and the governing National Party remained in office....

.