LUCKIE, DAVID MITCHELL (1828-1909) was born at Montrose, Scotland, educated there and entered a mercantile office. He afterwards worked as a law clerk, and became an assistant assessor under the property tax act. Leaving this for journalism, he became in turn sub-editor of the Montrose Review, editor of the John o' Groats Journal, and editor of the Arbroath Guide. Coming to New Zealand in 1863, he became part proprietor and editor of the Nelson Colonist. In 1869 he was gazetted a justice of the peace. He contested the Nelson seat in Parliament in 1866 against Stafford and Curtis without success, but he represented Nelson City in the Provincial Council (1869-72). In 1872 he was elected to Parliament, sitting for Nelson City till 1875. After the amalgamation of the Southern Cross with the New Zealand Herald (1876) he was editor till 1878, when he assumed control of the Evening Post, Wellington. In 1879 Luckie was appointed commissioner of the Government Insurance department.

Ill-health compelled him in 1889 to relinquish this post and become deputy-commissioner. In 1894 he published The Raid of the Russian Cruiser Kaskowiski to impress upon the public the danger of being unprepared for possible invasion. He was a fellow of the Royal Statistical Society (1885). Luckie died on 6 May 1909.

Cycl. N.Z., i (p); Luckie, op. cit., 1885; Who's Who N.Z., 1908; Evening Post, 7 May 1909. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 1, page 269

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