ALLEN, SIR JAMES (1855–), New Zealand statesman, was born in South Australia Feb. 10 1855, and went to New Zealand about 1858. He was educated at Clifton College and St. John’s College, Cambridge, where he held a natural science exhibition. At Cambridge he played in the University Rugby football fifteen and took his M.A. degree; and he afterwards studied at the Royal School of Mines and won the Bessemer and de la Beche medal. In 1887 he made a remarkable entry into politics by winning the Dunedin East seat from Sir Robert Stout, then Premier and Liberal leader, by 19 votes. Losing this seat at the general election of 1890, he represented Bruce from 1891 till his resignation in 1920. He has always taken a special interest in educational, military and imperial questions; was a member of the Otago University council and served a term as chancellor; and from 1908–12 was a member of the New Zealand University senate. He was for many years an enthusiastic volunteer, and was promoted lieutenant-colonel in 1902.
During the 21 years of Mr. Allen’s service in opposition he showed himself a keen critic of the Liberal administration, especially on financial matters. On defence questions he always spoke with authority and without party bias. The movement for compulsory military training, which came to a head in 1909, had his hearty support, and it is certain that the extension of the Territorial age-limit from the 22nd to the 25th year, which Lord Kitchener recommended, could not have been carried by the Ward government in 1910 without the help that Mr. Allen gave to it. When the Reform party came into power in 1912 Mr. Allen became Mr. Massey’s right-hand man. He held the three onerous portfolios of Defence, Finance, and Education in the first Massey administration (1912–15). His prudence and caution inspired confidence in his budgets, and both in military and in naval defence he gave the country a strong lead. His proposal in 1913 to organize an Expeditionary Force of 8,000 men for oversea service was severely criticized, but its value was duly appreciated in the following year. Regarding naval defence he insisted strongly on the inadequacy of a mere cash payment to the Admiralty to discharge the obligations of a self-respecting state, and with Mr. Massey he laid, in the Naval Defence Act, 1913, the foundations of a policy of self-reliance, with the proviso that the Dominion’s naval forces should automatically pass into the control of the Admiralty in time of war.
As a member of the National Government which was formed as a result of the Massey-Ward war coalition Sir James Allen retained the portfolio of Defence, and he held it throughout the life of that Government (1915–9) and until his retirement from the succeeding Massey government in March 1920. It is impossible to exaggerate the value of his services in that capacity. He faced all the problems of organizing a young and untried democracy for the World War, first under a voluntary and then under a compulsory system, with a resolution that never faltered, and he saw it through. During the first year or two of the war the Defence Minister was probably the most unpopular man in the Dominion, but there was afterwards a strong reaction in his favour, and towards its close the sterling value of his services was universally recognized. There was certainly no other man to whom the Dominion was more deeply indebted for the excellence of its war record.
During the long absences of Mr. Massey and Sir Joseph Ward on the business of the Imperial War Cabinet in 1916, 1917 and 1918 and of the Peace Conference in 1919 Sir James Allen had the responsibilities of Acting-Prime Minister as well as those of Defence. He retired from politics in 1920 in order to succeed Sir Thomas Mackenzie as the Dominion’s High Commissioner in London on July 31. Few statesmen who have so persistently violated the politician’s rule of putting all the best goods in the front window have been privileged to retain the confidence of a democracy so long and to render it such admirable service. He was made a K.C.B. in 1917. He married Mary Hill Richards of Somerset, England, in 1877 and has two sons and three daughters. His younger son, John Hugh Allen, was killed in action at Gallipoli.