Laurie Francis

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Sir Laurie Francis
Graham Ansell
Personal details
Born
Laurie Justice Francis

(1918-08-30)30 August 1918
Oamaru, New Zealand
Died3 August 1993(1993-08-03) (aged 74)
Wellington, New Zealand
Spouse
(m. 1952)
RelativesShona McFarlane (sister-in-law)

Sir Laurie Justice Francis (30 August 1918 – 3 August 1993) was a New Zealand lawyer and diplomat. He served as the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia from 1976 to 1984.

Biography

Born in

2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force after enlisting in 1943.[3] In 1952, he married artist Heather McFarlane,[1] the sister of Shona McFarlane.[4]

Francis worked as a lawyer in Winton, and from 1962 was a senior partner in a Dunedin law firm. He was active in the National Party, Rotary, the Returned Services' Association, and the Presbyterian church.[1]

Francis (left) and Lionel Bowen sign the CER agreement in Canberra on 28 March 1983

In 1976, Francis was appointed the New Zealand High Commissioner to Australia by the Third National Government, and was involved in negotiations for the Closer Economic Relations (CER) agreement with Australia. The CER agreement was signed in Canberra by Francis and the Australian deputy prime minister, Lionel Bowen, on 28 March 1983. Francis was the dean of the diplomatic corps in Australia from 1983 to 1985 as the longest-serving diplomat there.[1]

In the

Green Park Cemetery in the Dunedin suburb of Waldronville.[6]

References

  1. ^ .
  2. ^ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: F". Shadows of Time. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  3. ^ "Laurie Justice Francis". Online Cenotaph. Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  4. ^ "Heather Margaret Francis". Legacy.com. 10 December 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
  5. ^ "No. 49010". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 12 June 1982. p. 39.
  6. ^ "Cemeteries search". Dunedin City Council. Retrieved 22 January 2018.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
High Commissioner to Australia

1976–1985
Succeeded by
Graham Ansell