Early life

Nosworthy was born on 18 October 1867 at the Christchurch suburb of St Albans. He was educated at private schools including Christchurch Boys' High School. He was then a farmer at Amuri and Gisborne. In 1895 he returned to Canterbury and farmed with his brother at Waitohi Downs. In 1900 they purchased Whakara, part of the Anama station. In 1917 he purchased the Mesopotamia Station initially owned by the novelist Samuel Butler.^[1]

He married Lilian Kate Wright, daughter of Edward George Wright. They had no children.^[1]

Political career

Nosworthy stood in the Ashburton electorate in the 1908 election. The Second Ballot Act was in force and on election night, he was in third place behind David Jones. Nosworthy encouraged his supporters to vote for Jones in the second ballot. After a recount, the situation was reversed (Nosworthy was 30 votes ahead) and Jones advertised for his supporters to vote for Nosworthy, and indeed, Nosworthy was successful in the second ballot.^[2][3] In 1912 he became the junior government whip.^[4]

He was first appointed to Cabinet in 1919, being appointed Minister of Agriculture (1919–1925) and then Minister of Immigration (1920–1925) by Prime Minister William Massey.^[5] When Massey died in 1925, Nosworthy gained the more important role of Minister of Finance in the interim government of Francis Bell.^[6]

Nosworthy contested the leadership ballot to succeed Massey, but was defeated by Gordon Coates.^[7] He continued to serve as Minister of Finance until the following year, when he was given the Minister of External Affairs portfolio instead (1926–1928). He held this position until 1928.^[8][9] There was rumours that Coates wished to drop Nosworthy from cabinet in his post-1925 election reshuffle. Newspapers thought he along with several others would be dropped and the Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, also disliked Nosworthy thinking him 'boring'. However as Coates had entered cabinet at the same time as Nosworthy and in recognition that he had stood for the leadership, Coates thought it would be too bad of a look to dump him as a minister.^[10] As Minister of External Affairs he was in charge of Samoa where disaffection among locals with the Mau movement. He opposed the movement demand for self governance and determination, supporting the Administrator of Western Samoa, George Spafford Richardson, to deal with increasing civil unrest.^[1]

Nosworthy retired from parliament at the 1928 election, serving through six terms of Parliament.^[3]

He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1929 New Year Honours,^[11] and was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935.^[12]

Later life and death

He died at his home on 26 September 1946 in Ashburton, aged 78. He was survived by his wife.^[1]