Mark Anthony Fagan (17 November 1873 – 31 December 1947) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party and a union secretary. He was Speaker of the Legislative Council from 1939 until his death.

Biography

Early life

Fagan was born at Gaffneys Creek, Victoria, Australia, in 1873, and went to school in Waratah, Tasmania until he was 10. He then worked in various Australian towns as a miner. By the time he came to New Zealand about 1900, he had split from his first wife. In the West Coast mining community he was the "voice of thoughtful militancy in the 'Red' federation" of Labour. His second marriage was to Monica McKittrick (née Gardiner), a widow with three children whom he married on 10 September 1917 in

Christchurch Christchurch (; ) is the largest city in the South Island and the List of cities in New Zealand, second-largest city by urban area population in New Zealand. Christchurch has an urban population of , and a metropolitan population of over hal ...

Political career

Fagan was expected by many to stand in the 1918 Grey by-election after the sitting member, Paddy Webb, was jailed for his vocal opposition to conscription, but the Labour Party hierarchy chose Harry Holland from

Wellington Wellington is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the third-largest city in New Zealand (second largest in the North Island ...

instead based on the latter's strong showing in the Wellington North by-election a few months prior. Fagan stood in the 1925 general election in the Motueka electorate, but was beaten by the incumbent, Richard Hudson of the Reform Party. In 1928, he moved to

Petone Petone (Māori language, Māori: ''Pito-one'') is a large suburb of Lower Hutt, Wellington, New Zealand. It stands at the southern end of the Hutt Valley, on the northern shore of Wellington Harbour. Europeans first settled in Petone in Januar ...

in the

Hutt Valley The Hutt Valley (or 'The Hutt') is the large area of fairly flat land in the Hutt River valley in the Wellington Region of New Zealand. Like the river that flows through it, it takes its name from Sir William Hutt, a director of the New Zea ...

and in the following year, he was the organiser for Walter Nash's successful Hutt by-election. Fagan was on Labour's National Executive from 1930. On 11 June 1930 he was appointed to the

Legislative Council A legislative council is the legislature, or one of the legislative chambers, of a nation, colony, or subnational division such as a province or state. It was commonly used to label unicameral or upper house legislative bodies in the Brit ...

by the United Government, and at the end of each seven-year term, he was reappointed twice. He was reappointed by the United-Reform Coalition on 11 June 1935, and was reappointed by the First Labour Government on 11 June 1944. He was Speaker from 18 July 1939 until his death. He was a Minister without portfolio in the first Labour Government from 6 December 1935 until 18 July 1939, and was acting Minister of Customs in 1939 when Walter Nash was overseas. In 1935, he was awarded the

King George V Silver Jubilee Medal The King George V Silver Jubilee Medal is a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the accession of King George V. Issue This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir by King George V to commemorate his Silver Ju ...

Death

His wife Monica died in 1932, being survived by three daughters from her first marriage. He died in

, Wellington on 31 December 1947. The Fagans are buried at Karori Cemetery.

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Fagan, Mark 1873 births 1947 deaths Australian emigrants to New Zealand Speakers of the New Zealand Legislative Council Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand New Zealand Labour Party MLCs Wellington Harbour Board members Social Democratic Party (New Zealand) politicians Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council Unsuccessful candidates in the 1925 New Zealand general election Burials at Karori Cemetery