Percy Allen (politician)


Percy Benjamin Allen was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Biography

Allen was born at Auckland in 1913, the son of Charles Percival Allen. He received his education at Te Aroha School and Rotorua Boys' High School. In 1939, he married Peggy Donaldson, the daughter of William Donaldson. They had one son and one daughter. He fished and played golf for recreation.
He participated in World War II and served in the Pacific, Italy and Egypt, where he was wounded at El Alamein. He had the rank of major at the end of the war. He had his own plastering business after the war.
Allen was on the Rotorua RSA and on the Rotorua Borough Council.
He represented the electorate in Parliament from 1957, when he won the after the resignation of Bill Sullivan, until, when he retired because of ill-health.
He was a Cabinet minister from 1963 to 1972 in the Second National Government. He was appointed as Minister of Works by Keith Holyoake on 20 December 1963, succeeding Stan Goosman, who had retired at the. In 1969, he became Minister of Electricity. When Jack Marshall became Prime Minister in 1972, Allen maintained the Works portfolio, relinquished Electricity, but gained the role as Minister of Police. His ministerial roles finished when the Third Labour Government took over on 8 December 1972.
He was appointed a Companion of the Queen's Service Order for public services in the 1976 New Year Honours,. and was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. He died in Whakatane on 19 September 1992.