Jeremiah Twomey
Encyclopedia
The Honourable
Jeremiah Matthew Twomey (15 August 1847 – 1 November 1921) was a Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
. He was widely known in New Zealand as a journalist.
, Ireland. He worked at General Post Office in Cork
from age 18 until he resigned for emigration to New Zealand in 1874. Before leaving Ireland, Twomey was an occasional contributor to the press and magazines.
, The Wanganui Herald, The Timaru Herald
, and The Press
in Christchurch. He purchased the Temuka Leader in 1881 and founded the Geraldine Guardian in 1883. He retired as a newspaper proprietor in 1914, but continued with occasional contributions to The Press.
He married Mary Teresa, eldest daughter of Christopher Hughos, of Melbourne, in 1882, and they had four sons and four daughters.
, he contested the Gladstone electorate
, but was defeated by the incumbent, James Sutter
. He advocated a state bank, cheap money for farmers, protection of local industries, the acquisition of large estates for close settlement, working men's homes, etc. In the 1887 general election
, he again contested the same constituency with Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes
, but was defeated by 63 votes. His address on the development of the industries of the colony attracted a great deal of attention, more especially in Otago, where it was reprinted and distributed in tens of thousands for electioneering purposes. It was also published in several weekly papers and largely quoted by some of the daily papers. In the 1890 general election
, he contested the Timaru electorate
; five candidates stood, the incumbent William Hall-Jones
got re-elected, and Twomey came third.
Twomey was a firm believer in party government, and had a great objection to more than one candidate of a party standing for a seat. For this reason he has stood aside for others on various occasions. In 1896 a section of the Liberal Party
in Christchurch
invited him to stand for the city, but owing to the way in which the party was split up, he declined the invitation.
Twomey was appointed to the Legislative Council
on 18 June 1898, in recognition of his services to the Liberal Party. He served for one term of seven years until 18 June 1905.
Twomey died on 1 November 1921 at his home in Temuka. He had been in poor health for the last three years.
The Honourable
The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable is a style used before the names of certain classes of persons. It is considered an honorific styling.-International diplomacy:...
Jeremiah Matthew Twomey (15 August 1847 – 1 November 1921) was a Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
New Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
. He was widely known in New Zealand as a journalist.
Early life
Twomey was born in 1847 at Inchee Farm, County KerryCounty Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland. He worked at General Post Office in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
from age 18 until he resigned for emigration to New Zealand in 1874. Before leaving Ireland, Twomey was an occasional contributor to the press and magazines.
Life in New Zealand
Soon after his arrival in the colony, Twomey joined the staff of the Wellington Tribune, owned and edited by W. Hutchison. Subsequently, he was employed on the Wellington Chronicle, The Evening PostThe Evening Post (New Zealand)
The Evening Post was a daily newspaper based in Wellington, New Zealand. It was founded in 1865 by Henry Blundell , an Irish immigrant to New Zealand. It continued under Blundell family control until the 1960s, when it was purchased by Independent Newspapers Ltd.In 2002 it merged with The...
, The Wanganui Herald, The Timaru Herald
The Timaru Herald
The Timaru Herald is a daily provincial newspaper serving the Timaru, South Canterbury and Otago districts of New Zealand. The current audited daily circulation is about 14,500 copies, with a readership of about 31,000 people. The paper is owned and published by Fairfax New Zealand.-History:The...
, and The Press
The Press
The Press is a daily broadsheet newspaper published in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is owned by Fairfax Media.- History :The Press was first published on 25 May 1861 from a small cottage in Montreal Street, making it the oldest surviving newspaper in the South Island of New Zealand. The first...
in Christchurch. He purchased the Temuka Leader in 1881 and founded the Geraldine Guardian in 1883. He retired as a newspaper proprietor in 1914, but continued with occasional contributions to The Press.
He married Mary Teresa, eldest daughter of Christopher Hughos, of Melbourne, in 1882, and they had four sons and four daughters.
Political career
In the 1884 general electionNew Zealand general election, 1884
The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...
, he contested the Gladstone electorate
Gladstone (New Zealand electorate)
Gladstone was a former parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand, from 1866 to 1890.-Geographic coverage:Gladstone was located in the South Canterbury region. In 1866 and 1871, the nomination meetings were held in Waimate.-History:...
, but was defeated by the incumbent, James Sutter
James Sutter
James Hutchinson Sutter was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Canterbury, New Zealand.He represented the Gladstone electorate from 1881 to 1887, when he retired.-References:...
. He advocated a state bank, cheap money for farmers, protection of local industries, the acquisition of large estates for close settlement, working men's homes, etc. In the 1887 general election
New Zealand general election, 1887
The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....
, he again contested the same constituency with Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes
Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes
Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes OBE was a New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.-Life before politics:Rhodes was a lawyer in Christchurch...
, but was defeated by 63 votes. His address on the development of the industries of the colony attracted a great deal of attention, more especially in Otago, where it was reprinted and distributed in tens of thousands for electioneering purposes. It was also published in several weekly papers and largely quoted by some of the daily papers. In the 1890 general election
New Zealand general election, 1890
The New Zealand general election of 1890 was one of New Zealand's most significant. It marked the beginning of party politics in New Zealand with the formation of the First Liberal government, which was to enact major welfare, labour and electoral reforms, including giving the vote to women.It was...
, he contested the Timaru electorate
Timaru (New Zealand electorate)
Timaru is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in the South Island. It existed continuously from 1861 to 1996 and was represented by eleven Members of Parliament.-Population centres:...
; five candidates stood, the incumbent William Hall-Jones
William Hall-Jones
Sir William Hall-Jones, KCMG was the 16th Prime Minister of New Zealand from June 1906 until August 1906. He was the interim Prime Minister after the death of Richard Seddon and the return from overseas of Joseph Ward....
got re-elected, and Twomey came third.
Twomey was a firm believer in party government, and had a great objection to more than one candidate of a party standing for a seat. For this reason he has stood aside for others on various occasions. In 1896 a section of the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
invited him to stand for the city, but owing to the way in which the party was split up, he declined the invitation.
Twomey was appointed to the Legislative Council
New Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
on 18 June 1898, in recognition of his services to the Liberal Party. He served for one term of seven years until 18 June 1905.
Twomey died on 1 November 1921 at his home in Temuka. He had been in poor health for the last three years.