John H. Boyes

Who was John H. Boyes?

John Henry Boyes CMG was the fifth Public Service Commissioner in New Zealand.

He was chairman of the Social Security Commission, in between his terms as Public Service Commissioner. In 1936 the Labour government would have preferred Boyes to Thomas Mark as Public Service Commissioner, so appointed Boyes and Mark as Joint Commissioners. There was an awkward two years, before Boyes was appointed to establish the new Social Security Department.

Boyes was born in Auckland. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1946 New Year Honours.