David Luckie
Encyclopedia
David Mitchell Luckie was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson
, New Zealand
.
Luckie emigrated New Zealand in 1863 with his family, shortly after being offered the editorship of the Arbroath Guide.
. His first editorial appeared on 31 March 1863, the day after he arrived on the Electra from London
. He became noted for the "stinging lash of his invective and sarcasm". In 1873 Luckie moved to Auckland
to become editor of the Daily Southern Cross, and from 1 January 1877 was associated with William Berry in the editorship of the New Zealand Herald after the two newspapers merged.
Maungatapu murders
Luckie achieved national prominence in 1866 for his part in apprehending the four men found guilty of the Maungatapu murders. He had chaired a meeting to raise money for a search for the missing party. He also reported the court proceedings and published an illustrated narrative of the murders.
considered him a political turncoat: 'Vain, pretentious, utterly selfish, gifted with a shallow cleverness, and possessed of unbounded audacity.…Formerly a thick and thin partisan of Mr Stafford, he has now transferred his allegiance to Mr Fox'.
He continued to write many leading articles for Wellington newspapers, frequented the parliamentary press gallery, and was an honorary member of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists. Luckie retired on 16 December 1908 and died in Wellington on 6 May 1909. He was survived by his wife, four sons, and two daughters.
Nelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
Background
Luckie was born in Montrose, Forfarshire, Scotland, on 5 October 1827. He was the son of Thomas Luckie, a merchant, and Mary Mitchell. Educated in Montrose he first worked in a mercantile office, then as a law clerk before working starting his newspaper career. At He married Fanny Clara Dickinson on 23 April 1861 at Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire.Luckie emigrated New Zealand in 1863 with his family, shortly after being offered the editorship of the Arbroath Guide.
Newspaper career
He became editor and part owner, with William Nation, of the Colonist in NelsonNelson, New Zealand
Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....
. His first editorial appeared on 31 March 1863, the day after he arrived on the Electra from London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He became noted for the "stinging lash of his invective and sarcasm". In 1873 Luckie moved to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
to become editor of the Daily Southern Cross, and from 1 January 1877 was associated with William Berry in the editorship of the New Zealand Herald after the two newspapers merged.
Maungatapu murdersMaungatapu murdersThe Maungatapu murders were the events surrounding the murders of five people on the Maungatapu track in two separate attacks, near Nelson, New Zealand which occurred on 12 and 13 June 1866...
Luckie achieved national prominence in 1866 for his part in apprehending the four men found guilty of the Maungatapu murders. He had chaired a meeting to raise money for a search for the missing party. He also reported the court proceedings and published an illustrated narrative of the murders.The Russian Scare
Luckie, along with many New Zealanders, was concerned about the possibility of a Russian invasion. In 1873 he pulished a hoax report in the Daily Southern Cross about a Russian invasion of Auckland by the cruiser Kaskowiski (cask of whisky). Many Aucklanders believed the report and were alarmed to read that the crew of the Kaskowiski had seized gold and taken the mayor as hostage.Political Career
Luckie unsuccessfully contested the City of Nelson seat for the House of Representatives in February 1866. He did gain a seat on the Nelson Provincial Council from 1869 to 1872. In 1872 he was elected to Parliament as the member for Nelson 1872, and held the seat until 1875. In the 1872 election Luckie had gained 307 votes against J. C. Richmond's 156 and Alfred Saunders's 74. Luckie supported the Fox ministry's attempts to establish 'peace and progress', advocating direct taxation and 'economical administration'. The Lyttelton Times considered that Luckie would give the government 'fair and reasonable, but…discriminating and independent support'; but the Wellington Evening PostEvening Post
Evening Post may refer to:Newspapers:* Bristol Evening Post* Evening Post, Charleston; now The Post and Courier* New Evening Post * Jersey Evening Post* Lancashire Evening Post* London Evening Post...
considered him a political turncoat: 'Vain, pretentious, utterly selfish, gifted with a shallow cleverness, and possessed of unbounded audacity.…Formerly a thick and thin partisan of Mr Stafford, he has now transferred his allegiance to Mr Fox'.
Public Servant
In 1878 Luckie moved to Wellington to take up the editorship of the Evening Post. He held the position for six months, before being offered and accepting the position of government insurance commissioner, in return for his support of the government by John Ballance. Balance offered Luckie the job at a £800 salary, but Premier George Grey considered £200 sufficient. Parliament ratified the £800 salary. Luckie began to suffer from ill health and 1889 stepped down to the position.He continued to write many leading articles for Wellington newspapers, frequented the parliamentary press gallery, and was an honorary member of the New Zealand Institute of Journalists. Luckie retired on 16 December 1908 and died in Wellington on 6 May 1909. He was survived by his wife, four sons, and two daughters.