Tom Macdonald

Sir Thomas Lachlan Macdonald (14 December 1898 – 11 April 1980) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He served as Minister of Defence (1949–1957), Minister of External Affairs (1954–1957), and Minister of Island Territories (1955–1957), and was New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1961–1968).

Early life and war service Macdonald was born in Invercargill on 14 December 1898, to parents Thomas Forsaith Macdonald, a farmer, and Margaret Ann Matheson. One of his great-grandfathers, Thomas Forsaith, was a member of the 1st New Zealand Parliament. Macdonald was educated at South School and Southland Boys' High School. He served in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Palestine in the First World War, and in the Second World War he served in Egypt, rising to the rank of captain until he was invalided home in 1943.

Political career

Macdonald was the Member of Parliament for Mataura to 1946, then Wallace to 1957, when he retired.

He was Minister of Defence (1949–1957), Minister of External Affairs (1954–1957), and Minister of Island Territories (1955–1957) in the First National Government.

From 1961 to 1968 he was the New Zealand High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. Concurrently, he was accredited as non-resident Ambassador to Ireland for his 2 last years of diplomatic services, from 1966 to 1968.

He died in 1980.

Awards and honours In 1953, Macdonald was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.

In the 1963 New Year Honours, Macdonald was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Mount Macdonald in Antarctica was named for him by the New Zealand Geological Survey Antarctic Expedition (1961–62).