Education
Nelson College; Christchurch Boys" High School.
industrial chemist leader politician
Nelson College; Christchurch Boys" High School.
Social Cr got a surprising 11% of the party vote in the 1954 general election, but it dropped to 7% in the 1957 general election. Foreign that and for the criticism of Social Cr by the Royal Commission on Monetary Policy (which Owen had not attended, as he was overseas) he was criticised at the 1958 conference, and he resigned from the League shortly after. Owen stood for Social Cr in Lyttelton in the 1954 election and 1957 election, coming third with 2,675 and 1,014 votes respectively.
And in the Riccarton 1956 by-election.
In the 1972 election he stood in Tauranga for the New Democratic Party, and came fifth with 288 votes (the Social Cr candidate came third). He was born in Wellington, and educated at Christchurch Boys" High School and Nelson College.
He was an industrial chemist, and founded his cosmetics and toiletries manufacturing company Wilfrid Owen New Zealand Limited in 1938. He was a resident of Sumner, Christchurch, and died in Princess Margaret Hospital, Christchurch aged 86.
He became the leader of Social Cr in 1953 when it reluctantly decided to become a political party rather than supporting other parties.
