Mervyn Probine
Mervyn Probine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Chairman of the State Services Commission | |
| In office 1981–1986 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon David Lange |
| Preceded by | Robin Williams |
| Succeeded by | Roderick Deane |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 April 1924 Auckland, New Zealand |
| Died | 17 April 2010 (aged 85) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Spouse |
Marjorie Walker (m. 1949) |
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Leeds |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Biophysics |
| Thesis | Molecular structure and mechanical properties of plant cell walls in relation to growth (1959) |
Mervyn Charles Probine CB FRSNZ (30 April 1924 – 17 April 2010) was a New Zealand physicist and public servant. He served as chairman of the State Services Commission between 1981 and 1986.
Early life and family[edit]
Born in Auckland on 30 April 1924, Probine was the son of Frederick Charles Probine and Annie Kathleen Probine (née Polson).[1] He married Marjorie Walker in 1949, and the couple went on to have two children.[2]
Career[edit]
Probine joined the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR) as a draughtsman in 1942.[2] He graduated with a Bachelor of Science from Auckland University College in 1947 and a Master of Science from 1951 from Victoria University College,[3] and obtained a PhD in physics from the University of Leeds.[2] In 1967, he was appointed director of the Physics and Engineering Laboratory (PEL), and then ten years later, was promoted to assistant director-general of the DSIR.[2]
Probine joined the State Services Commission in 1979,[4] and was appointed chair of that body in 1981.[2] During his tenure, the Official Information Act 1982 was passed and the Equal Employment Opportunities Unit (EEOU) was established.[2] The EEOU was charged with promoting and monitoring access to employment opportunities in the New Zealand public service for ethnic minorities, women, and the disabled.[2]
Honours and awards[edit]
In 1964, Probine was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand.[5] In the 1986 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath, in recognition of his service as chairman of the State Services Commission.[6]
Death[edit]
Probine died in Auckland on 17 April 2010.[2] His wife, Marjorie, died in 2023.[7]
References[edit]
- ^ "Births". New Zealand Herald. 3 May 1924. p. 1. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Former State Services Commission boss dies". Stuff.co.nz. NZPA. 19 April 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
- ^ "NZ university graduates 1870–1961: P". Shadows of Time. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Henderson, Alan (1990). The Quest for Efficiency:The Origins of the State Services Commission. State Services Commission. ISBN 0-477-05538-9.
- ^ "List of all Fellows with surnames P–R". Royal Society Te Apārangi. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ "No. 50362". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 31 December 1985. p. 29.
- ^ "Marjorie Probine obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 10 August 2023. Retrieved 10 August 2023.
- Notable New Zealanders (1979, Paul Hamblyn, Auckland)
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 1924 births
- 2010 deaths
- New Zealand public servants
- New Zealand Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Scientists from Auckland
- Alumni of the University of Leeds
- New Zealand physicists
- People associated with Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (New Zealand)
- Fellows of the Royal Society of New Zealand