ARNOLD, JAMES FREDERICK (1859-1929) was born at St Peter's Port, Guernsey, the son of Julius Arnold, a lawyer, with whom he came to New Zealand in 1864. In 1875 he was apprenticed as a clicker in the bootmaking industry in Christchurch. There he remained till 1882, when he took an engagement with Sargood, Son and Ewen, in Dunedin. In Christchurch Arnold was an active member of friendly societies, including the I.O.G.T. and the A.O.F. In 1890 the bootmakers' union agreed to admit clickers to membership, and Arnold attended the first federal conference at Wellington. In 1891 he distinguished himself as a debater in a conference with employers, and for some years thereafter he presided at such meetings. In 1896 he conducted the bootmakers' disputes before the conciliation board and in the Arbitration Court. Subsequently he successfully raised the question of jurisdiction. In 1898 Arnold was elected president of the union, which he represented for a time on the Workers' Political committee and the trades and labour council. Elected to Parliament in 1899 as one of the representatives of Dunedin City, he sat continuously (for Dunedin City 1899-1905, Dunedin South 1905-08, Dunedin Central 1908-11), until he was defeated by Sir Charles Statham. For some years he was chairman of the labour bills committee. Arnold was a member of the Mornington school committee, and the school committees' association; of the Mornington borough council (for six years); and of the executive of the Dunedin technical classes association. For some years before his death (on 10 Jul 1929) he was officer in charge of the labour bureau at Timaru. He married (1884) Isabella Lawden.

N.Z.P.D., 30 Jul 1929; Cycl. N.Z., iv; Otago Daily Times, 11 Jul 1929.

Reference: Volume 1, page 26

🌳 Further sources