George Fowlds

The Honourable Sir George Fowlds CBE
24th Minister of Customs
In office 17 June 1909 – 4 September 1911
Prime Minister	Sir Joseph Ward
Preceded by	Alexander Hogg
Succeeded by	Roderick McKenzie
19th Minister of Immigration
In office 6 January 1909 – 4 September 1911
Prime Minister	Sir Joseph Ward
Preceded by	James McGowan
Succeeded by	George Warren Russell
13th Minister of Education
In office 6 August 1906 – 4 September 1911
Prime Minister	Sir Joseph Ward
Preceded by	William Hall-Jones
Succeeded by	Josiah Hanan
2nd Minister of Health
In office 6 August 1906 – 6 January 1909
Prime Minister	Sir Joseph Ward
Preceded by	Sir Joseph Ward
Succeeded by	David Buddo
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Grey Lynn
In office 25 November 1902 – 19 December 1911
Preceded by	constituency established
Succeeded by	John Payne
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Auckland
In office 6 December 1899 – 25 November 1902
Personal details
Born	15 September 1860 Fenwick, East Ayrshire, Scotland
Died	17 August 1934 (1934-08-18) (aged 73) Auckland, New Zealand
Political party	Liberal
Other political affiliations	Labour United Labour

Sir George Matthew Fowlds CBE (15 September 1860 – 17 August 1934) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.

Biography

Early life and career

Fowlds was born in Fenwick, East Ayrshire, Scotland. His father, Matthew Fowlds, was a handloom weaver and was the last surviving member of the Fenwick Weavers' Society. He lived to be 101 years old. As a boy, George Fowlds weaved linen sheets. He attended Hairshaw School in Waterside. He did his apprenticeship at a clothier in Kilmarnock, and later worked in Glasgow, where he attended night classes at Anderson's College. After completing his studies in commerce he worked several jobs as a general labourer, fencer, carpenter and painter before deciding to leave Scotland.

Fowlds emigrated to Cape Colony in 1882 and lived in Cape Town, Beaufort West, and Bultfontein. In 1884, he married Mary Ann Fulton, who was also from Fenwick. In the following year, they moved to Auckland, New Zealand, as the South African climate was detrimental to his wife's health. He built up a business as a clothier in Victoria Street. In New Zealand he became involved in community affairs becoming a prominent Freemason, Rotarian, member of the Workers' Educational Association (WEA) and was chairman of the Congregational Union of New Zealand.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1899–1902	14th	City of Auckland			Liberal
1902–1905	15th	Grey Lynn			Liberal
1905–1908	16th	Grey Lynn			Liberal
1908–1911	17th	Grey Lynn			Liberal

In the 1896 election, Fowlds stood in the three-member City of Auckland electorate and came seventh. Fowlds represented the City of Auckland electorate from 1899 to 1902, and then the Grey Lynn electorate from 1902 to 1911. In 1890, Fowlds moved his family to Mount Albert, to a large country house known as Greystone Knowe.

He was a firm believer in a single tax and was by extension the president of the New Zealand Land Values League, a Georgist group dedicated to implementing a land value tax. In 1905 Fowlds decided to return to Scotland for his father's 100th birthday. He decided he needed a New Zealand passport when his ship was about to leave, though they were not then usually required for overseas travel; an inconvenience to the department, and to the Governor who then personally signed each New Zealand passport.

Though critical of some of the policies of Premier Richard Seddon, Fowlds did not support the New Liberal Party in 1905. He was "in favour of the referendum and an elective Executive". He immediately earned a reputation as a left-wing among Liberals and was kept out of the cabinet by Seddon, who though he would have made a good minister but for his belief in the single tax.

Seddon's successor, Sir Joseph Ward, appointed Fowlds to the cabinet on condition he hold in abeyance some of his more radical views. He was appointed Minister of Education and Minister of Public Health in 1906 before dropping the health portfolio in 1909 when he was instead designated Minister of Customs and Minister of Immigration.

Independent Liberal

He resigned from Cabinet in September 1911 over the single tax issue. He stayed in Parliament so he could remain a private member until there was "a truly democratic party in a position to form a government". His resignation from the ministry was seen as a contributing factor to the fall of the Liberal government in 1912. In 1911, Fowlds introduced the Proportional Representation And Effective Voting Bill (86–1). However, this bill failed to be passed into law.

Fowlds stood as an Independent Liberal Labour candidate for Grey Lynn in the 1911 election. He then became involved in the task of creating a moderate Labour Party in New Zealand and was a high-profile attendee of the Labour Unity Conferences. He joined the United Labour Party (ULP) and was chairman of the Auckland ULP from 1912 to 1913. At the next election in 1914 he contested Grey Lynn again as the ULP candidate. But, in 1919, he was again a Liberal. After his third consecutive defeat he withdrew from politics and devoted himself to education governance.

Later life and death

Fowlds then became president of Auckland University College. He was the first chairman of Massey Agricultural College from 1927 to 1934.

He died on 17 August 1934 at Auckland and was survived by his wife.

Awards and legacy

Fowlds was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1919, and appointed a Knight Bachelor, for public services, in the 1928 King's Birthday Honours.

The personal papers of Sir George Fowlds are housed in Special Collections at the University of Auckland Library. The extensive collection covers political, personal, business and social matters and includes letters, newspaper clippings, speech drafts, articles, sermons, accounts books, photographs and cartoons.

Fowlds Park was named after him in 1933.

One of his sons, William Forrest Fowlds, was a member of the Auckland City Council from 1941 to 1947.

Further reading

Works of Fowlds

• Education portfolio: claims of Mr F.E. Baume and Sir George Fowlds, Auckland, [N.Z.]: n.p., c. 1941
• Fowlds, George (1896), A political address to the electors of the City of Auckland: delivered in the City Hall, Auckland on September 29, 1896, Auckland, [N.Z.]: H. Brett, General Printer
• Fowlds, George (1896), The ethics of the land question: an address delivered at the Congregational Union, Wellington, February, 1896, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Edwards, Russell & Co.
• Fowlds, George (1899), Progress towards unity: an address delivered from the chair of the Congregational Union of New Zealand at Dunedin, February, 1899, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Printed by H. Brett
• Fowlds, George (1900), Paper on party government, read at the National Council of Women of New Zealand, held at Dunedin, May 1900., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Abel, Dykes & Co.
• Fowlds, George (1902), The true policy for the Liberal Party in New Zealand by Onlooker., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jacques, newspaper and general printers
• Fowlds, George (1902), The worker and his wages: an address, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jacques, newspaper and general printers
• Fowlds, George (1905), Geo. Fowlds, social reformer: candidate for Grey Lynn, 1905., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Observer Printing Works
• Fowlds, George (1908), Education Act Amendment Bill: speeches delivered in Parliament on the 27th August, the 8th September, and the 6th and the 7th October, 1908, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Government Printer
• Fowlds, George (1910), Pre-sessional address : the Hon. George Fowlds at Grey Lynn, interestin political speech : an enshusiastic [i.e enthusiastic] meeting, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Printed at Star Office

• This is reprinted from the Auckland Star of 3 June 1910.

• Fowlds, George (1911), The new Evangel: an address, Auckland, [N.Z.]: N.Z. Land Values League
• Fowlds, George (1913), Practical politics for the people: evolution v. revolution : an appeal to wageworkers and employers, to capitalists and professional men, to exploiters and exploited, Auckland, [N.Z.]: N.Z. Land Values League
• Fowlds, George (1914), The drift towards anarchy: its cause and its cure: the church's neglected duty, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jacques, General Printers
• Fowlds, George (1914), To the electors of Grey Lynn: Hon. Geo. Fowlds, formerly Minister of Education and Public Health, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Observer Print. Works
• Fowlds, George (1914), To the electors of Grey Lynn: Hon. Geo. Fowlds, the progressive Liberal and Labour candidate, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jaques, Printers
• Fowlds, George (1916), Six o'clock closing: Auckland business men's deputation to the Right Hon. W.F. Massey, P.C. (Premier N.Z.) 29 May 1916 / addresses by Geo. Fowlds and A.J. Entrican., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jaques, Printers
• Fowlds, George (c. 1917), "Is New Zealand a democracy?", Eden Gazette, Auckland, [N.Z.]
• Fowlds, George (1918), Manual of chairmanship, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland Branch, Workers' Educational Association
• Fowlds, George (1922), The single tax: a Rotarian Club address / by Geo. Fowlds, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jaques, Printers
• Fowlds, George (1923), Taxation and commerce / retiring address of the Hon. George Fowlds, C.B.E. as president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Thursday, February 8th, 1922, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Wright & Jaques, Printers
• Fowlds, George (c. 1925), Planning Auckland for to-morrow / Geo. Fowlds., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Eden Gazette Print
• Fowlds, George (1930), A review of the past decade [Bulletin (Auckland University College) ; no. 11. : Bulletin (Auckland University College). Administrative series ; no. 1.], Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University College
• Fowlds, George (1933), President's address [at fiftieth jubilee of College], Auckland, [N.Z.]: Auckland University College
• Fowlds, George (1956), Princess or prisoner? / by Geo. M. Fowlds, n.p.: n.p.
• Fowlds, George (1964), Reminiscences of South Africa and New Zealand, Auckland, [N.Z.]: G. Fowlds
• Fowlds, George; et al. (1915), Opinions on the war, Auckland, [N.Z.]: George Hunt & Co., for the Trades, Labour and Friendly Societies' Carnival Queen Committee

Works about Fowlds

• <Please add first missing authors to populate metadata.> (1913), A story of progress!, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Cleave Ltd., Typ

• This is reprinted from the N.Z. Town and Country Life of 25 June 1913.

• <Please add first missing authors to populate metadata.> (1921), Leaders of the trade: the Hon. George Fowlds, C.B.E., Auckland, [N.Z.]: Brett Printing Co.

• This is reprinted from the New Zealand draper of 30 November 1921.

• Barr, James (1936), "The late Sir George Fowlds, Kt., C.B.E.: distinguished New Zealand statesman, notable native of Fenwick Parish / tributes by James Barr and others.", Kilmarnock Standard, Kilmarnock, [Scotland]
• Coulam, Allan George (1947), The life and work of the Hon. Sir George Fowlds, Kt., C.B.E., with special reference to his educational activities, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Harvison & Seymour

• This is a version of an undated M.A. thesis from the University of Auckland.

• Fairlie, J. Kirkwood (ed.) (1910), "Matthew Fowlds, centenarian weaver, 1806–1907, and other Fenwick worthies: with brief histories of the martyrs and covenanters of Fenwick, the Secession Church, and the Weavers' Society", Kilmarnock Standard, Kilmarnock, [Scotland] {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
• Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1-86940-014-3. OCLC 18420103.
• Rogers, Frank (1964), The Fowlds papers: an inventory of the Sir George Fowlds collection, Auckland, [N.Z.]: University of Auckland Library
• Rogers, Frank (1980), The Fowlds papers index of correspondents and subjects 1878–1934, Auckland, [N.Z.]: Archives Press
• Roth, Herbert Otto, 'FOWLDS, Sir George', from An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, edited by A. H. McLintock, originally published in 1966. Te Ara – The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, updated 18-Sep-2007, retrieved 17 May 2008
• Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press.

References

• Gustafson, Barry (1961). The Advent of the NZ Labour Party, 1910–1919 (masters thesis). University of Auckland.
• Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L (PDF). Vol. I. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
• Gustafson, Barry (1980). Labour's path to political independence: The Origins and Establishment of the New Zealand Labour Party, 1900–19. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press. ISBN 0-19-647986-X.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
• Whitcher, G. F. (1966). The New Liberal Party 1905 (masters thesis (hons)). University of Canterbury.

External links

• Works by or about George Fowlds at Internet Archive