David Spence Thomson

The Honourable David Spence Thomson MC MP
Minister of Defence
In office 1966 – 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Preceded by	Dean Jack Eyre
Succeeded by	Allan McCready
Minister of Tourism
In office 1966 – 1969
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Minister of Police
In office 1969 – 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Minister of Labour
In office 1972 – 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Minister of Immigration
In office 1972 – 1972
Prime Minister	Keith Holyoake
Minister of Justice
In office 1975 – 1978
Prime Minister	Robert Muldoon
Preceded by	A Martin Finley
Succeeded by	James McLay
Minister of Defence
In office 1980 – 1984
Prime Minister	Robert Muldoon
Preceded by	Frank Gill
Succeeded by	Frank O'Flynn
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Stratford
In office 1963–1984
Preceded by	Tom Murray
Succeeded by	Roger Maxwell (seat redrawn as Taranaki)
Personal details
Born	November 15, 1915 (1915-11-15) (age 96) Stratford
Died	1999
Political party	National Party
Spouse(s)	June Grace (née Adams)
Children	Four
Profession	Dairy farmer

David Spence Thomson, MC (14 November 1915 - 1999) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

He was a dairy farmer, born in Stratford, the son of former Stratford mayor Percy Thomson.

He represented the seat of Stratford from 1963 to 1978, and then Taranaki from 1978 to 1984, when he retired. He was a cabinet minister, holding the positions of Minister of Defence, Minister of Justice, Minister of Labour and Immigration, and Minister of Tourism.

He served in the Army in the Middle East in World War II and was a Prisoner of War in 1942.

He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) in 1942.

He married June Grace (née Adams) in April 1942. They had one son and three daughters.^[1]

In the post war years he was chairman of the Federated Farmers.^[2]

Parliamentary career

• 1966-72 Ministry of Defence
• 1966-69 Ministry of Tourism
• 1966-69 Minister Assistant to the Prime Minister
• 1966-69 Ministry in charge of Publicity
• 1966-72 Ministry in charge of War Pensions
• 1966-72 Ministry in charge of Rehabilitation
• 1969-72 Ministry of Police
• 1971-72 Associate Ministry of Labour & Immigration
• 1972 Ministry of Immigration
• 1975-78 Ministry of Justice
• 1980-84 Ministry of Defence

Footnotes

1. ^ Who's Who in New Zealand,8th edition 1964
2. ^ David E. Walter: Stratford: Shakespearean Town Under The Mountain. Stratford District Council 2005. ISBN 1-877399-05-1

References

• The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party by Barry Gustafson (1986, Reed Methuen, Auckland; biographical appendix of National MPs, page 347) ISBN 0474001776
• New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984 by J. O. Wilson (1985, Government Printer, Wellington)
• Stratford District Centenary, R Habershon, (1978, Stratford District Council Cebtennial Committee)
• http://rulers.org/newzgov.html

External links

• National Library of NZ, Cartoon
• National Library of NZ, Image of Cabinet Ministers, 1966
• National Library of NZ, Image of opening of Ministerial Council, 1968

Persondata
Name	Thomson, David
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	15 November 1915
Place of birth	Stratford
Date of death	1999
Place of death