MYERS, SIR ARTHUR MIELZINER (1867-1926) was born at Ballarat and came to New Zealand with his father, who settled at Thames. There he got the first of his education, which was finished at Wellington College. At the age of 16 Myers entered the office of his uncle (Ehrenfried, a brewer at Thames). On the death of his uncle in 1897 he completed the amalgamation of the firm with Brown, Campbell and Co., and became managing director. He possessed considerable administrative and business ability and was chairman also of the Campbell trustees and of the Cornwall Park trustees, a director of the New Zealand Insurance Co. and the Auckland Gas Co. and president of the Auckland Commercial Travellers' Association.

Myers was mayor of Auckland for four years, during which time he followed a progressive policy, carried through important municipal works and furthered the greater Auckland movement. He was elected to Parliament for Auckland East (Jun 1910) and sat till retiring in 1921, when he became a London director of the National Bank of New Zealand. He was a member of the Mackenzie Ministry in 1912 (as Minister of Finance, Railways and Defence) and also of the National ministry (1915-19), in which he was Minister of Customs, Munitions and Supplies, and at times also of Finance. While in Parliament Myers introduced an important town-planning bill, but it did not advance beyond its first reading. Amongst the gifts he made to Auckland city were Myers Park (of 8 acres), on which he built a free kindergarten and a school for backward children; £5,000 towards the building of a Karitane hospital, and many pictures for the Art Gallery and the clock for the town hall. To Thames also he gave many gifts to beautify the town and add to its amenities. These included assistance in establishing the Technical School. Myers was major of the 1st Auckland infantry battalion and colonel commanding the motor service corps. (K.B. 1924) He married a daughter of B. W. Levy. His death occurred on 9 Oct 1926.

N.Z.P.D., 1910-21 (notably 24 Jun 1927); Who's Who N.Z., 1908; N.Z. Herald, 11 Oct 1926 (p). Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 60

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