Ronald Macmillan Algie (1888 - 1978)

Ancestors

Preceded by 24th Minister Terence McCombs

Ronald Algie 25th Minister of Education of New Zealand 13 Dec 1949 - 12 Dec 1957

Succeeded by 26th Minister Philip Skoglund

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early Life 1.2 Career 1.3 Parliamentary Career 1.4 Honours and Awards 1.5 Later life 2 Sources 3 Acknowledgements

Biography

Sir Ronald Macmillan Algie (22 October 1888 – 23 July 1978) was a New Zealand politician who served as Minister of Education from 1949 to 1957 and as Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1961 to 1966^[1].

Early Life

Ronald MacMillan (known as Ron) was born on 22 October 1888^[2] at Wyndham, Southland, New Zealand, and his birth was registered in the last quarter of 1888 at Wyndham^[3]. He was the second son of John Alexander Algie and Agnes McMillan.

His mother died on 9 July 1899^[4] when he was still young.

As his father moved with his postmaster job, Ron was educated at various schools including Arrowtown, Thames High School and Balclutha District High School^[5]. He became a pupil-teacher, but then changed career and became a law clerk. He completed an LLB in 1913 at Auckland University College, at which time he became an assistant lecturer in law. That was followed by an LLM in 1915 .

He was listed on the Reserve Roll: 1st Division for the Recruiting District of Auckland in 1916^[6]. He was a law lecturer living at "Glenalvon", Waterloo Quadrant.

He married Helen Adair McMaster on 14 December 1917^[7] at Auckland. They had no children.

Career

In 1920 he became the first professor of law at Auckland University College^[5]. He was known as "a brilliant teaching lawyer of conservative inclination". He became a member of the College's professorial board and of the Senate of the University of New Zealand.

In 1922 he was listed as a professor living at 75 Remuera Road on the Parnell Supplementary Electoral Roll no 2^[8]. In 1927 he was involved in founding the Auckland Town Planning Association.

He resigned from the College in 1937 to become director of the Auckland Provincial (later New Zealand) Freedom Association. This was a right-wing organisation strongly opposed to the Labour government. By the next year it was effectively a publicity organisation for the New Zealand National Party

Parliamentary Career

Ron won the Remuera seat for National in 1943 (serving until 1966). He was a skilled Parliamentary debater, "a brilliantly lucid and outstandingly skilful debater of easy erudition and sharp wit"^[5].

The following year his wife Helen died on 24 May^[9]. He married Mary Joan Gray Stewart on 28 May 1947 at Knox Church, Bealey Ave, Christchurch^[10]. They had a son and a daughter^[5].

When the first National government was formed in 1949, he was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Education. He set up a working relationship with the director of the Department of Education, Dr C. E. Beeby^[11]. He continued with the plans of the Labour Government for massive building programmes and increased teaching quotas to meet the exploding demand for primary school places caused by the post World War II baby boom. He also continued with plans to provide for multi-purpose secondary schools instead of academic and technical high schools.

He later became Minister of Broadcasting and Minister for Science and Industrial Research^[5]. He knew Sir Ernie Marsden from the time that they served together on the Academic Board of the University of New Zealand. He backed reform within the DSIR which "involved high standards of recruitment, merit payment of staff and delegation of responsibility to leaders of research teams, coupled with full accountability for the use of resources".

He co-led the committee that looked into the future of the Legislative Council^[5]. He became responsible for the 1952 reports of the Constitutional Reform Committee.

When National lost government in 1957, he was appointed Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs^[5].

When National regained power after the 1960 election, he was appointed Speaker of the House^[5]. He was known for "his strong insistence on politeness in debates"^[1]. He undertook a number of reforms of Parliamentary procedure to accommodate the changing nature of politics. He retired from politics in 1966 after serving six years as Speaker.

Honours and Awards

In 1953 he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He became a Knight Bachelor in 1964. He received an honorary LLD from his former university in 1967.

Later life

His wife Mary died on 5 May 1972^[12]. in 1978 he was retired and living at 29 Charles Dickens Drive and listed on the Pakuranga Main Electoral Roll^[13].

Ron died on 23 July 1978^[14] at Auckland. He was cremated at Purewa Crematorium, Auckland^[15] and his ashes scattered.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wikipedia contributors, "Ronald Algie," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia Accessed 26 Apr 2023
2. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Birth Registration. Accessed 26 Apr 2023
   1888/10746 Algie, Ronald Macmillan Mother=Agnes Father=John Alexander DOB=22/10/1888
3. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840-1950 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014. Original data: New Zealand, Birth Index, 1840–1950. Microfiche. Accessed 26 Apr 2023
   • View Ancestry Record 8949 #1892473

   Ronald Macmillan Algie registered in Dec 1888 in Wyndham, New Zealand.

4. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Death Registration. Accessed 25 Apr 2023
   1899/5203 Algie, Agnes Age=33Y
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7} Hugh Templeton. 'Algie, Ronald Macmillan', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 1998. Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Accessed 2 November 2020
6. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, World War I Army Reserve Rolls, 1916-1917 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011. Original data: New Zealand Expeditionary Force Reserve – 1916-1919. Microfiche 1-23. BAB Microfilming, Auckland, New Zealand. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link
     
   Name: Ronald Macmillan Algie; Residence: Waterloo Quadrant; Year: 1916; Reserve Roll: 1st Division; Recruiting District: Auckland.
7. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Marriage Registration. Accessed 26 Apr 2023
   1917/5916 Bride=Helen Adair McMaster Groom=Ronald Macmillan Algie DOM=14/12/1917
8. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming and Electoral Roll Commission, New Zealand. Microfiche publication. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
   • View free Ancestry Sharing Link
     
   Name: Ronald Macmillan Algie; Electoral Year: 1922; Residence Street Address: 75 Remuera Road; Residence Place: New Zealand; District: Parnell; Region or Province: Auckland.
9. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Death Registration. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
   1944/17876 Algie, Helen Adair Age=54Y DOD=24/05/1944
10. ↑ The Wilson Collection Marriages 1830-1960. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
    Surname: ALGIE; Forenames: Ronald Macmillan; Year: 1947; Place Of Marriage: Knox Church, Bealey Ave, Christchurch; Source Of Data: Evening Star; Bride Given Names: Mary Joan Gray; Bride Surname: STEWART
11. ↑ William Renwick. 'Beeby, Clarence Edward', Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, first published in 2000. Available at Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand Accessed 27 Jan 2024
12. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Death Registration. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
    1972/33412 Algie, Mary Joan Gray Age=62Y DOD=05/05/1972
13. ↑ Ancestry.com. New Zealand, Electoral Rolls, 1853-2010 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data: New Zealand Electoral Rolls, 1853–2010. Auckland, New Zealand: BAB microfilming and Electoral Roll Commission, New Zealand. Microfiche publication. Accessed 27 Jan 2024
    • View free Ancestry Sharing Link
      
    Name: Ronald Macmillan Algie; Electoral Year: 1978; Residence Street Address: 29 Charles Dickens Drive; Residence Place: New Zealand; District: Pakuranga; Region or Province: Auckland.
14. ↑ New Zealand Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (Digital Database), Department of Internal Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua Death Registration. Accessed 25 Apr 2023
    1978/35046 Algie, Ronald MacMillan DOB=22 October 1888
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/201041519/ronald-macmillan-algie: accessed 26 April 2023), memorial page for Ronald Macmillan Algie (22 Oct 1888–23 Jul 1978), Find A Grave: Memorial #201041519; Cremated, scattered (cremation at Purewa, Auckland, NZ); Maintained by Cosmo (contributor 49300889).

Acknowledgements

• Biography written by Margaret Bailey Allison