Mr J. K. McAlpine To Retire This Year

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 1

Mr J. K. McAlpine To Retire This Year

The Minister of Transport (Mr McAlpine) announced in Dunsandel last evening that he would retire from politics this year, although he had been endorsed unanimously as a candidate for the Selwyn electorate at the General Election.

Mr McAlpine, who will be 60 in July, said that age was only one of the reasons for his decision to retire from politics. He had given 20 years of his life to his country, which had also been generous to him. Outside politics he had wide interests.

“I have always said, and meant, that Ministers should not carry on too long, but should make way for younger men,” Mr McAlpine said. “At the moment I consider we have never been better endowed with able, vigorous young men to fill Cabinet posts.” Mr McAlpine was born in Christchurch and educated at Christ’s College. A son of a well-known farmer who had taken an interest In local bodies, he followed his father as a high-country sheepfarmer at Craigieburn. He was only 23 when he went into local body administration as a member of the Tawera County Council. Later he was elected to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, and became chairman. He also served on the Canterbury Progress League, the Arthurs Pass National Park Board, and the council of Lincoln College. In 1946 Mr McAlpine entered Parliament as the National Party member for Selwyn, and has held the seat ever since. He entered the Cabinet in 1954, when he held the portfolios of Railways, Labour, Mines, and Marine. He shed some of those responsibilities and in recent years has been best known

as Minister of Aviation, Minister of Transport, and Minister of Railways. “1 am most grateful to many people in all walks of life who have aided, encouraged and worked hard for me as an individual, as a Minister and for the National Party and the Government as a whole,” Mr McAlpine said last evening. “I am deeply indebted to my electorate supporters, who have never wavered or faltered in their personal support. 1 feel it much better to go now while I am still wanted than perhaps be reluctantly supported in three years’ time, or even asked to go.” Mr McAlpine said he had seen most of his ambitions achieved or on the way to fruition. The Railways Department this year would make greater profits than for the last 11 years. Conversion to diesel power was almost completed and modernisation fully committed. Air New Zealand had been equipped with modern jet planes and trebled its route miles, he continued. It was launched successfully on the world routes to the east and the west.

Transport laws had been modernised, the department’s staff almost doubled, and equipment modernised, and safety precautions improved to the point where the death rate this year seemed likely to be a record low figure for 10,000 vehicles. “I am fit and well, and look forward to being able to enjoy some leisure and recreation, or. if required, to make som 1 contribution in a less exacting field,” the Minister said.

Mr McAlpine is the second Canterbury Cabinet Minister

to announce that he will retire from politics this year. Earlier, the Minister of Lands (Mr Gerard) announced that he would not be a Parliamentary candidate this year.