James Alfred Nash (27 July 1871 – 24 July 1952), known as Jimmy Nash, was a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand and a Mayor of Palmerston North.
Biography
Nash was born in 1871 in Foxton to Ann Ellen Webster and Norman Nash.
He won the Palmerston electorate (since renamed the Palmerston North electorate) in the 1918 Palmerston by-election after the death of David Buick, and held it to 1935, when he was defeated by the Labour candidate, Joe Hodgens in a three-person contest involving the town's mayor, Gus Mansford. He was Chairman of Committees in 1935. He contested the in the for the National Party, but was again defeated by Hodgens.
In 1935, Nash was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for public and municipal services in the 1951 New Year Honours. Nash was a prominent Freemason and was appointed past grand master of Lodge Kilwinning, Manawatu, in 1946.
He died at his home in Palmerston North on 24 July 1952, and was buried in Terrace End Cemetery.