Ronald Algie

Sir Ronald Macmillan Algie (22 October 1888 – 23 July 1978) was a New Zealand politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives for six years in the 1960s. He described himself as "a Tory in the old tradition".

Early life Algie was born on 22 October 1888, in Wyndham, a small town in New Zealand's Southland Region. He was educated at Arrowtown, Thames High School and Balclutha District High School. He became a teacher at Paeroa District High School before transferring to a school in Ponsonby and later was the junior English master at Seddon Memorial Technical College. He attended Auckland University College to study law and gained an LLB in 1913 and an LLM in 1915. In 1920, aged 31, he became the first professor of law at Auckland University College. He was noted for his strong intellectual performance, and also for his conservative views. a prominent alpinist whose climbs included an ascent of Aoraki / Mount Cook.

Member of Parliament

In 1937, Algie became the director of the Freedom Association, an organisation that strongly opposed the left-wing Labour Party government of the time. The Freedom Association quickly became linked to the new National Party, and Algie became one of the party's more prominent supporters and was involved in the electorate. The incumbent MP for Remuera was National's Bill Endean who was unpopular among supporters, so much so that he was nearly deselected for the planned 1941 general election. The 1941 election was postponed due to the war, though, and Endean failed to get selected by the National Party for the and Algie was chosen instead. Endean was overseas at the time of the selection, but even if he had been present, Gustafson believes that the "elderly, dull Endean would have been no match for the clever and witty Algie". Endean was the first sitting National MP who failed to get re-selected. Algie won the seat and entered Parliament.

Algie proved to be a skilled Parliamentary debater, and has been described by Hugh Templeton as the best debater of his time. Even opponents such as Bob Semple respected Algie's rhetorical abilities. He was also noted for remaining polite throughout debates, and for his willingness to apologise for any offence he accidentally gave. Algie briefly returned to Opposition after the 1957 election, which National lost. In opposition he was appointed Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Speaker of the House When National regained power after the 1960 election, Algie is believed to have wanted the post of Minister of External Affairs, but was not given it (possibly because of his age; he was seventy-two). Instead, he was convinced to take up the Speakership. He officially assumed office at the beginning of the 1961 parliamentary term. Algie was succeeded in the Remuera seat by Allan Highet.

Algie died in Auckland on 23 July 1978.