Peter Tait
Encyclopedia
Sir Peter L. Tait was a New Zealand
National
Party Member of Parliament, Napier mayor, small businessman and opponent of New Zealand's Homosexual Law Reform Act
.
's Island Bay
suburb. His family were Scottish immigrants, originally from the Shetland Islands. His father Jack and his uncles Peter and Ross belonged to the best known Shetland fishing families in Island Bay. Through his early life, Tait suffered from tuberculosis, which meant that he was unable to play an active role in New Zealand's Second World War
effort, nor could he become a Baptist minister.
He moved from Waipukurau
, a rural community, to the East Coast of the North Island
, and ultimately settled in Napier
. Once established there, he opened a shoe store, which came to have branches in Waipukurau, Napier, Hastings
and Dannevirke
.
(1951–1954).
for the next eighteen years (1956–1974).
, who helped to organise the Coalition of Concerned Citizens
in the mid-eighties, and fought against homosexual law reform. Ultimately, though, the Homosexual Law Reform Act
passed its final reading.
Tait then ran foul of his former colleagues in the 'Gang of Twenty' affair in 1989 when the contributory mortgage company he chaired, AdvisorCorp, found itself the target of attacks from National Party leader Jim Bolger
. Bolger would later publicly apologise to Tait, but two of the principals in the company were successfully prosecuted and AdvisorCorp collapsed.
He funded the Tait Fountain in Napier, which commemorates Victory in Europe Day
and was dedicated on 9 May 1995 on the 50th anniversary of the end of that war.
Tait was knighted in 1975. He died in 1996.
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...
National
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
Party Member of Parliament, Napier mayor, small businessman and opponent of New Zealand's Homosexual Law Reform Act
Homosexual Law Reform Act
The New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 is a law that legalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and older. It removed the provisions of the Crimes Act 1961 that criminalised this behaviour.-Background:...
.
Early life
Tait was born on 5 September 1915, in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
's Island Bay
Island Bay, Wellington
Island Bay is a suburb of Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, situated 5 km south of the city centre.Island Bay lies on the bay which shares its name, one of numerous small bays west of Lyall Bay...
suburb. His family were Scottish immigrants, originally from the Shetland Islands. His father Jack and his uncles Peter and Ross belonged to the best known Shetland fishing families in Island Bay. Through his early life, Tait suffered from tuberculosis, which meant that he was unable to play an active role in New Zealand's Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
effort, nor could he become a Baptist minister.
He moved from Waipukurau
Waipukurau
Waipukurau , also known as Ypuk, is the largest town in the Central Hawke's Bay District on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located 50 kilometres southwest of Hastings on the banks of the Tukituki River....
, a rural community, to the East Coast of the North Island
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
, and ultimately settled in Napier
Napier, New Zealand
Napier is a New Zealand city with a seaport, located in Hawke's Bay on the eastern coast of the North Island. The population of Napier is about About 18 kilometres south of Napier is the inland city of Hastings. These two neighboring cities are often called "The Twin Cities" or "The Bay Cities"...
. Once established there, he opened a shoe store, which came to have branches in Waipukurau, Napier, Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
and Dannevirke
Dannevirke
Dannevirke , is a rural service town in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of the North Island, New Zealand. It is the major town of the administrative Tararua District, the easternmost of the districts in which the Regional Council has responsibilities...
.
Member of Parliament
Tait served as the National Member of Parliament for NapierNapier (New Zealand electorate)
thumb|right|Boundaries of Napier Electorate for 2008 and 2011 electionsNapier is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Napier is Chris Tremain, of the National Party. He has held this position since...
(1951–1954).
Mayor of Napier
Two years after leaving Parliament, he became Mayor of NapierMayor of Napier, New Zealand
The Mayor of Napier is the head of the municipal government of Napier City, New Zealand, and presides over the Napier City Council. Napier City is New Zealand's ninth largest city. The first mayor was elected in 1875. The current mayor is Barbara Arnot....
for the next eighteen years (1956–1974).
Later life and death
Tait was a BaptistBaptist Union of New Zealand
The Baptist Union of New Zealand is an association of Baptist churches in the country of New Zealand.Several Baptists settled in New Zealand in the 1840s, but the first Baptist minister, Decimus Dolamore from Yorkshire, England, did not arrive until May 1851...
, who helped to organise the Coalition of Concerned Citizens
Coalition of Concerned Citizens
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens was a New Zealand Christian conservative pressure group, and one of several attempts to form pro-censorship, anti-abortion, anti-gay and sex education opponents into a comprehensive social conservative political coalition...
in the mid-eighties, and fought against homosexual law reform. Ultimately, though, the Homosexual Law Reform Act
Homosexual Law Reform Act
The New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 is a law that legalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and older. It removed the provisions of the Crimes Act 1961 that criminalised this behaviour.-Background:...
passed its final reading.
Tait then ran foul of his former colleagues in the 'Gang of Twenty' affair in 1989 when the contributory mortgage company he chaired, AdvisorCorp, found itself the target of attacks from National Party leader Jim Bolger
Jim Bolger
James Brendan "Jim" Bolger, ONZ was the 35th Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1990 to 1997. Bolger was elected on the promise of delivering a "Decent Society" following the previous Labour government's economic reforms, known as Rogernomics...
. Bolger would later publicly apologise to Tait, but two of the principals in the company were successfully prosecuted and AdvisorCorp collapsed.
He funded the Tait Fountain in Napier, which commemorates Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
and was dedicated on 9 May 1995 on the 50th anniversary of the end of that war.
Tait was knighted in 1975. He died in 1996.