Peter Butler

Peter Michael Butler (31 May 1901 – 24 September 1995) was a New Zealand seaman, trade unionist, communist and local politician.

Biography Early life He was born in Whiteabbey, County Antrim, Ireland, on 31 May 1901. Butler was largely self-educated, yet proved an effective speaker, writer and organiser later in life. At age 16 Butler joined the Mercantile Marine reserve, serving mostly in the North Sea for the remainder of World War I. After the war Butler became one of the leaders of a militant faction in the seamen's union and briefly courted communist ideology, which he rejected strongly later in life. In the next election in , he was defeated by Robert Wright in the electorate. Butler had better success in local government. He was elected to the Wellington City Council at the 1933 election, only after special votes were counted, and was to remain a councillor until 1941.

In 1953, Butler was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He attempted to make political comeback in the 1960s, standing several times for the council on the Labour ticket in 1965, 1968 and a 1969 by-election. While polling strongly on all occasions he never managed to regain a seat.

Later life Butler retired from his union positions in 1972. In the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, Butler was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the trade union movement. He died on 24 September 1995 and was buried at Whenua Tapu Cemetery near Pukerua Bay.