Bert Kyle
New Zealand politician
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Herbert Seton Stewart Kyle OBE (29 August 1873 – 5 January 1955) was a member of the Reform Party and since 1936 National Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.
29 August 1873
Bert Kyle | |
|---|---|
| |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Riccarton | |
| In office 1925–1943 | |
| Preceded by | George Witty |
| Succeeded by | Jack Watts |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Herbert Seton Stewart Kyle 29 August 1873 Brunswick, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 5 January 1955 (aged 61) Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Party | Reform (1922–36) National (1936–42) Independent (1942–43) |
| Occupation | Veterinary surgeon Farmer |
Early life and profession
Kyle was born in Brunswick, Melbourne, Australia, in 1873. He received his education from The Geelong College and the Melbourne Veterinary College. He was a vet in Ballarat until 1899, when he migrated to New Zealand.[1]
He was a New Zealand government vet in Christchurch from 1901 to 1918.[2] Afterwards, he had his private practice in Christchurch.[1]
Member of Parliament
The Christchurch electorate of Riccarton was contested by three candidates in the 1922 election. George Witty was successful, with Kyle coming second and Jack McCullough coming third.[3] Kyle won the Riccarton electorate in the 1925 election, and held it to 1943 when he was defeated (he withdrew).[4]
Independent
Kyle resigned from the National Party in 1942.[5] He stated: "The National Party organization has built up a watertight compartment that makes one become a 'yes man' with expulsion as an alternative". Kyle thought it "better to retire from the party than to place on it the onus of expulsion, a point which the gentleman (Sid Holland) who moved the resolution was expounding when I left the caucus meeting".[6][7] Kyle remained an Independent until 1943, but did not contest the election in that year.
In 1935, Kyle was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[8] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for public and local government services, in the 1953 New Year Honours,[9] and later in 1953 was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[10]
Death
Kyle died on 5 January 1955,[1] and was buried in Bromley Cemetery.[11]