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The Honourable
John A. Millar
The Honourable John A. Millar
	Millar in c. 1910
4th Minister of Railways
	In office; 24 May 1908 – 24 August 1912
Prime Minister	Joseph Ward
Preceded by	William Hall-Jones
Succeeded by	Arthur Myers
Personal details
Born	8 July 1855; Jalandhar, India
Died	15 October 1915; Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Liberal

John Andrew Millar (8 July 1855 – 15 October 1915) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party from Otago.

Early life

Born in Jalandhar, India, in 1855, he first came to New Zealand in 1870, but then embarked on a seafaring career. In 1881, he changed from international to coastal shipping. Although an officer, he was a member of the union. When he was elected the first full-time general secretary of the Federated Seamen's Union of New Zealand in 1887, he moved to Port Chalmers, as that is where the union's headquarters were.^[1]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate
1893–1896	12th	Chalmers	Liberal–Labour
1896–1899	13th	City of Dunedin	Liberal–Labour
1899–1902	14th	City of Dunedin	Liberal–Labour
1902–1905	15th	City of Dunedin	Liberal–Labour
1905–1908	16th	Dunedin Central	Liberal
1908–1911	17th	Dunedin West	Liberal
1911–1914	18th	Dunedin West	Liberal

He was a Member of Parliament for Chalmers in the 12th Parliament 1893–1896, for the City of Dunedin in the 13th, 14th and 15th Parliaments 1896–1905, for Dunedin Central in the 16th Parliament 1905–1908, and for Dunedin West in the 17th and 18th Parliaments 1908–1914.^[2]

He disagreed with some Liberal policies, but did not join the New Liberal Party group in 1905.^[1]

Millar was Chairman of Committees from 1903 to 1905.^[3] He was Minister of Customs (6 August 1906 – 6 January 1909), Minister of Labour (6 August 1906 – 6 January 1909; 17 June 1909 – 28 March 1912), Minister in Charge of Marine Department (6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912), and Minister of Railways (6 January 1909 – 28 March 1912) in the Ward Ministry.^[4]

In 1912 he was spoken of as a successor to Sir Joseph Ward as leader of the Liberal Party. But he did not stand in the ballot of 22 March when Thomas Mackenzie defeated George Laurenson (with 22 votes to 9) as he was not supported by Labour members of the caucus, although he had support from "arbitrationist" unions. So in July he appeared in the House to help turn out the Liberal government ... ill, pyjama-clad, consumed with the desire to destroy the government that he had not been permitted to lead.^[5]

He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 23 June 1915, but could only attend one meeting to be sworn in before his health failed him.^[1]^[6] He died in Auckland on 15 October 1915 and was buried in the Dunedin Northern Cemetery.^[7]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Roth, Herbert. "Millar, John Andrew - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 24 April 2012.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 220.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 252.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 74.
^ Hamer 1988, pp. 349–354.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 159.
^ "Cemeteries search". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 30 November 2014.

References

Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-014-3.
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

Political offices
Preceded by Arthur Guinness	Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives 1903–1905	Succeeded by Roderick McKenzie
Preceded by Charles H. Mills	Minister of Customs 1906–1909	Succeeded by Alexander Hogg
Preceded by William Hall-Jones	Minister of Railways 1908–1912	Succeeded by Arthur Myers
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by James Mills	Member of Parliament for Chalmers (Constituency renamed from Port Chalmers) 1893–1896	Vacant Constituency abolished, recreated in 1902 Title next held by Edmund Allen
In abeyance Title last held by Frederick Fitchett	Member of Parliament for Dunedin Central 1905–1908	Succeeded by James Arnold