SIR JAMES ALLEN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17429, 26 March 1920, Page 4

SIR JAMES ALLEN.

RESIGNATION FROM HOUSE. OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. ,LONG PARLIAMENTARY CAREER. [BT TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Thursday. The resignation of Sir James Allen, Minister for Defence, Finance, and External Affairs, as member of the House of Representatives representing Brace has been gazetted. • Sir James Allen is to proceed to London shortly to replace the present High , Commissioner, Sir Thomas' Mackenzie, j The retiring Minister and member for Bruce has Dean a well-known figure in New Zealand politics for many years past. He is a native of South Australia, where he was born on February 10, 1855. He was educated at Clifton College, England, and at the University of Cambridge, where he gained the M.A. degree. He came to New Zealand as a young man and gettled in Dunedin. He was a member .of the Dunedin City Council for some time. He first came into special prominence in 1887, when, at the general election, he made his entry into Parliament as member for Dunediri East, defeating Sir "Robert Stout, the then Premier, by about 30 votes. Mr. Allen held this seat until 1890. In 1891, he was first ejected member for Brace, and he has held that position ever, since. In July, 1912, when the Reform Government assumed office, Mr. Allen was entrusted with the three important portfolios of Finance, Defence, and Education. He relinquished control of the Departments of . Finance and Education when the National Ministry was formed in August, 1915, in order to give his undivided attention to the control of the Defence Department. When the Coalition Government came to an end Sir James took over the Finance portfolio again and was recently ««appointed Minister for External Affairs, in which capacity he went to Samoa in charge of the Parliamentary party which returns to Auckland to-day. During the temporary absence of the Prime Minister in England during the war, Sir James was Acting-Prime Minister in addition to carrying out his arduous duties as Minister for Defence.

The Government candidate for the Bruce seat will be Mr. James Begg, until recently chairman of the Otago Repatriation Board, and a member of the District Land Purchase Board.