Douglas Lysnar

William Douglas Lysnar in 1928

William Douglas Lysnar (30 April 1867 – 12 October 1942), known as Douglas Lysnar, was a New Zealand politician of the Reform Party.

Early life

He was born in Onehunga, Auckland, New Zealand on 30 April 1867. He was educated by his father, who was a school teacher. The family settled in Gisborne in 1879. His sister was Frances Lysnar who became the first woman in New Zealand to be a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.

Political career

Local body politics

From 1908 to 1911, he was Mayor of Gisborne.

Member of Parliament

New Zealand Parliament

Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1919–1922	20th	Gisborne			Reform
1922–1925	21st	Gisborne			Reform
1925–1928	22nd	Gisborne			Reform
1928–1930	23rd	Gisborne			Reform
1930–1931	Changed allegiance to:				Independent

He represented the Gisborne electorate from 1919 to 1931, when he was defeated.

In the 1928 contest Lysnar stood as an Independent supporter of the Reform Party and was successful. During 1930, he stopped supporting the Reform Party and became fully independent. At the following election in 1931 he ran as an Independent, but was not returned, beaten by Labour's David Coleman.

In his 1919 campaign, he employed Albert Davy as organiser. Davy went on to be an effective organiser for the Reform Party, though disagreeing over policies.

Douglas Lynsar was a brother of Frederick J. Lynsar the Liberal candidate in the Bay of Plenty 1920 by-election, who lost to the Reform candidate.

In 1935, Lysnar was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

Life in Gisborne

Kelvin Rise

The accountant James Charles Dunlop had a house built in 1886 that became known as Kelvin Rise. Dunlop got into difficulties and sold the house and associated land to Lysnar in 1898, who had it extended in 1900 and a ballroom and tower added in 1919. The house was "a hub of social activity in Gisborne", with various dignitaries entertained there over the years. Lysnar died on 12 October 1942 in Gisborne, and was buried at Makaraka Cemetery. According to his will, Kelvin Rise was to become a museum. Lysnar's daughter transferred the land to the council in 1954 for it to become a park and sold the house to the city for a nominal amount. Kelvin Rise opened as a museum and art gallery in 1955. The 1919 additions were split off in 1975 and moved to the city's marina and the remaining house relocated on the land to make room for a new museum building known as Tairāwhiti Museum.

Further reading

• Handling New Zealand frozen produce in England: W.D. Lysnar's and New Zealand Committee's reports, with principal correspondence, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed at the Herald Office, 1910
• Press interviews with Mr. W.D. Lysnar, on Meat Conference held in Christchurch, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed at the Herald Office, 1910
• Press report by "The Gisborne times" of a public meeting held at Gisborne on Saturday, 8th February, 1913, in support of a proposal to divert the New Zealand produce trade to the west coast ports of England and to establish the Bristol and Dominions Producers' Association Limited to handle and market all New Zealand produce, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Gisborne Pub. Co., 1913
• Press report by "The Gisborne times" of shareholders' meeting of the Gisborne Sheepfarmers' Frozen Meat Co., Limited, held in Whinray's Hall on Friday, July 18th, 1913, together with other data used at meeting and a letter from W.D. Lysnar to shareholders., Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed for W.D. Lysnar by Gisborne Pub. Co., 1913
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1902), Opinions and facts showing prohibition to be a hideous failure, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed at the Gisborne Times Office
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1911), Strong indictment against prohibition and local no-license, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed at the Herald Office
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1917), The surplus meat, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Gisborne Pub. Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1917), Meat and shipping: press reports from the Gisborne times of 8th, 9th and 13th August, 1917, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Gisborne Pub. Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1917), Meat and shipping problems, Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Times Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1918), Correspondence and other data on Wool and Meat War Regulations Act: also re Trust Legislation Bill, Wellington, [N.Z.]: New Zealand Times Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1918), New Zealand produce: the wool and meat contracts: further correspondence on the extension after the war, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Gisborne Pub. Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1918), Public meeting of wool-growers, Poverty Bay District, held in Gisborne, on Saturday, July 6, 1918: official data discussed disclosing English manufacturers making large profits out of New Zealand patriotism : meeting disapproves of commandeering after the war, except for three months to make wool contract -- co-terminus with meat contract-- ..., Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed by the Gisborne Pub. Co.
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1919), The wool commandeer: Mr. W.D. Lysnar takes a determined stand, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Times Print
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1922), Mr. W.D. Lysnar, M.P., denounces prohibition / speech delivered by W.D. Lysnar in the House of Representatives, 22nd August, 1922, Wellington, [N.Z.]: Government Printer
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1925), Royal Commission of Enquiry: sale of Poverty Bay Farmers' Meat Co.'s works to Vestey Bros. Ltd. and other matters: addressed in Parliament, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Gisborne Times Print
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1929), Meat export control : Mr Lysnar explains his amendment bill: Hansard report of important address to the House, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed by Gisborne Pub. Co. for W.D. Lysnar
• Lysnar, W. Douglas (1938), The slump: trusts and combines attacked : causes and remedies: also dangers of party politics, Gisborne, [N.Z.]: Printed at the Herald Office
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.