Clarence Skinner (politician)

The Honourable Clarence Skinner MP, MC
3rd Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 12 December 1957 – 12 December 1960
Prime Minister	Walter Nash
Preceded by	Jack Marshall
Succeeded by	Jack Marshall
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Motueka
In office 1938 – 1946
Preceded by	Keith Holyoake
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Buller
In office 1946 – 1962
Preceded by	Paddy Webb
Succeeded by	Bill Rowling
Personal details
Born	19 January 1900 Melbourne,  Australia
Died	26 April 1962(1962-04-26) (aged 62)  New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Julia Buckley Gray (married 1924)
Military service
Allegiance	New Zealand Army
Rank	Major
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Military Cross

Clarence Farrington Skinner, MC, (19 January 1900 – 26 April 1962) (also known as Gerry or Jerry) was a Labour politician from New Zealand, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand and a Minister 1943 – 1949 and 1957 – 1960 in the First and Second Labour governments.

Personal information

Skinner was in the New Zealand Army in the Middle East in World War II, rising to the rank of Major. He was awarded the Military Cross (M.C.) in 1943 for Mine Clearing in North Africa.

Skinner married Julia Buckley Gray in 1924.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1938–1943	Labour
1943–1946	Labour
1946–1949	Labour
1949–1951	29th	Buller		Labour
1951–1954	Labour
1954–1957	Labour
1957–1960	Labour
1960–1962	Labour

Skinner was a Member of Parliament from 1938 to 1962; he was MP for Motueka 1938 – 1946 (having defeated new MP Keith Holyoake in 1938), then MP for Buller 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, Walter Nash favoured Gerry Skinner and then Fred Hackett to replace him when he retired as leader, but with the deaths of first Skinner and then Hackett, Nash was replaced by Arnold Nordmeyer when he resigned following the 1963 election.

References

• Who's Who in New Zealand, 7th Edition 1961.
• Obituary in Nelson Photo News
• Photo (downloadable) of Clarence Skinner as Minister of Rehabilitation

Political offices
Preceded by Jack Marshall	Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand 1957–1960	Succeeded by Jack Marshall
Parliament of New Zealand
Preceded by Keith Holyoake	Member of Parliament for Motueka 1938–1946	Constituency abolished
Preceded by Paddy Webb	Member of Parliament for Buller 1946–1962	Succeeded by Bill Rowling

Persondata
Name	Skinner, Clarence
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	19 January 1900
Place of birth	Melbourne,
Date of death	26 April 1962
Place of death