BARONET AS CANDIDATE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29247, 4 July 1960, Page 12

BARONET AS CANDIDATE

Labour’s Choice In Hamilton (New Zealand Pre** Association) HAMILTON. July 3. Sir Basil Malcolm Arthur, a 31-year-dd baronet, who is secretary of the New Zealand Workers* Union at Mangakino, has been chosen as the Labour Party candidate for the Hamilton seat in the General Election. A married man, with three children, he was educated at Timaru Boys* High School Mr E. A. Waters, of Hamilton, who has contested the seat on four occasions, was not a candidate for selection. The three unsuccessful candidates were Mr R. D. Reese. Mrs M. C. Joblin and Miss Iris Lee-Martin, all of Hamilton.

Sir Basil Arthur, who inherited his title on the death of his father, the fourth baronet, in 1949, comes of a family with an interesting history. His father, who lived in Timaru. inherited the title Jrom his cousin, the third baronet Sir George Arthur, in 1946.

Sir George Arthur was an officer in the 2nd Life Guards, and a chevalier of the Legion of Honour. At one time he was private secretary to Earl Kitchener. He was the author of a life of Earl Kitchener, and also wrote lives of Lord Haig and Lord Wolseley. His father. Sir Frederick Arthur, the second baronet, was a colonel in the British Army. His wife was a daughter of the Earl of Kinnoull. The first baronet Sir George Arthur, was created a baronet with the title’ Sir George Arthur of Upper Canada in 1841. He had already been knighted in . 1837. He was the colonel of the sth Regiment, and ended his military career as a lieutenant-general. He was successively LieutenantGovernor of British Honduras, Van Dieman’s Land, and Upper Canada, and Governor of Bombay. In 1846 he was appointed provisionally as Governor General of India in the event of the death, or departure from India, of the then Governor, Lord Hardinge, but never assumed office because of ill health. The first Sir George Arthur was also a Privy Councillor, an honorary doctor of common law of Oxford University, and a Knight of the Crown of Hanover.