Geoffrey Sim

Geoffrey Fantham Sim QSO (2 April 1911 – 27 March 2002) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Biography

Sim was born at Ngatapa near Gisborne in 1911. He received his education at Morrinsville, Pukekohe High School, and King's College. At the latter school, he was a lightweight boxing champion. After school, he was a farmer at Waimārama, was involved in felling bush, was a driver in the Onewhero and Thames region, became head shepherd at Crossland Station near Kaipara Harbour, before working as a stock agent in Waiuku.

In World War II, Sim served in the Middle East. At Sidi Rezegh, he lost an eye, an arm, and the use of one leg. While he was in hospital, he became a prisoner of war.

Sim returned to New Zealand in 1943. The National Party nominated him in the Rotorua electorate for the 1943 election, where he was successful. At the end of the parliamentary term in 1946, the Rotorua electorate was abolished, and he successfully contested the Waikato electorate at the 1946 election. He held Waikato until 1963, when that electorate was also abolished. In the 1963 election, he successfully contested the Piako electorate, and retired at the end of the next parliamentary term in 1966. From 1958 to 1960 he was Shadow Minister of Maori Affairs while National was in opposition.

In 1953, Sim was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In the 1978 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services.

Sim died in 2002.

Notes

• Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
• Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
• Wilson, Jim (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC .