Ted Cullen
New Zealand politician (1895–1963)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Edward Luttrell Cullen MM (5 September 1895 – 18 February 1963) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and a cabinet minister in the First Labour Government.
Ted Cullen | |
|---|---|
| |
| 18th Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 19 December 1946 – 13 December 1949 | |
| Prime Minister | Peter Fraser |
| Preceded by | Ben Roberts |
| Succeeded by | Keith Holyoake |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Hawkes Bay | |
| In office 27 November 1935 – 27 November 1946 | |
| Preceded by | Hugh Campbell |
| Succeeded by | Cyril Harker |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 September 1895 Havelock North, New Zealand |
| Died | 18 February 1963 (aged 67) Hastings, New Zealand |
| Party | Labour |
| Awards | Military Medal |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | New Zealand Army |
| Rank |  Sergeant |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
Biography
Early life
Cullen was born in Havelock North, and educated at Nuhaka Native School and Napier Boys' High School. He joined the NZEF as a Rifleman then Sergeant (No 12356) in World War I, and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery.[1]
He farmed at Wairoa and became Director of the Wairoa Co-operative Dairy Company. In this position he actively assisted returned servicemen and local Māori in becoming farmers.[1]
Political career
He represented the Hawkes Bay electorate from 1935 to 1946, having stood there unsuccessfully in 1931.[2] In 1946, following an electoral redistribution, he won the Hastings electorate, but was defeated in 1949.[3]
He was Minister of Agriculture from 1946 to 1949 and also Minister of Marketing from 1947 to 1949.[4] He was a self described militarist and supported compulsory military training, an issue to which most Labour members were opposed.[5]
Later life and death
After leaving Parliament he resumed farming and became a business partner of Sir James Wattie, producing many of the fruit and vegetables that were processed at the Wattie's cannery. He was approached several times to return to politics, but he declined.[6]
