Jim Barnes (politician)
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Sir James Barnes MBE |
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|---|---|
| 52nd Mayor of Dunedin | |
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In office 1968–1977 |
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| Preceded by | Russell Calvert |
| Succeeded by | Cliff Skeggs |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for St Kilda |
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In office 1951 – 1954 |
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| Preceded by | Fred Jones |
| Succeeded by | William Fraser |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
24 September 1908 Dunedin |
| Died | 6 June 1995 (aged 86) |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse(s) | Elsie Mabel Clark (married 13 April 1938) |
| Children | One daughter |
| Awards | MBE |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Service/branch | No. 75 (NZ) |
| Years of service | 1940 – 194x |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Sir James George "Jim" Barnes MBE (24 September 1908 – 6 June 1995) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.
Barnes attended Andersons Bay School and King Edward Technical College.
Barnes joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1940, and trained in Canada. He qualified as a navigator and bomb aimer, and joined the No. 75 (NZ) Squadron . In 1942, Barnes was shot down over France, and spent three years in German prisoner-of-war camps. He put a lot of pressure on German resources helping fellow prisoners escape, and received various punishments, including a sentencing to be shot, though later the camp brutality eased, and Barnes was not executed.
JG (Jimmy) Barnes was well known in Otago and NZ as a mile and cross-country runner of national class. Later, before he became Mayor of Dunedin, he was loyally and consistently active as an official, and leader of Otago Athletics. Jim was particularly supportive of Women's Athletics, at a time when that section of the sport was indeed the poor relation. The Otago Ladies' NZ Record relay team, which included Yvette Williams, Shirley Hardman, Norah Donald, Myrie Ives, and Roslyn Pierson, was most grateful for his support in the late 40s and 50s. Jim Barnes' name has become enshrined in the Otago Harrier Programme in the J G Barnes Cross-country Race, first held in the early 50s in the Chisholm Park area of Dunedin.
He represented the St Kilda electorate from 1951 when he defeated Fred Jones to 1957 and 1960, when he was twice defeated by William Fraser.
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