Sir Leslie Munro (New Zealand)
Elected President of the twelfth session of the General Assembly
Sir Leslie Munro K.C.M.G. who today was elected President of the Twelfth session of the General Assembly, has been New Zealand Ambassador to the United States and Permanent Representative to the Nations since February 1952.
Sir Leslie was born in Auckland, New Zealand, on 26 February 1901, and educated at the Auckland Grammar School and the Auckland University College, where he received the degree of master of law.
From 1924 Sir Leslie practiced law privately and lectured at Auckland University College on Jurisprudence, Roman Law and Constitutional Law and History, until his appointment, in 1938, as dean of the faculty of Law. He was President of the Auckland Law Society from 1936 to 1938 and a member of the council of the New Zealand Law Society from 1036 to 1939.
In 1941 Sir Leslie accepted the post of Associate Editor of the New Zealand Herald, and in August 1942 became its editor, until his appointment as Ambassador. During this period he was a member of the council of Auckland University College, of the senate of the University of New Zealand and of the Auckland Grammar School board (of which he later became Chairman).
He spent four months in 1951 in the United states as a guest of the State Department under the terms of the Smith-Mundt Act. He made a study of American politics, foreign policy and university education.
In February 1952, Sir Leslie returned to the United States as Ambassador to Washington and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, He has represented New Zealand on the Trusteeship Council and in June 1953 was elected President for one year. In the course of the normal rotation of the office he has thrice served as President of the Security Council. Sir Leslie has attended all sessions of the general assembly since 1952 and was Chairman of the First (Political and Security) Committee during the tenth session.
In the New Year Honors list of 1955 he was made Knight Commander of the order of St. Michael and St. George (K.C.M.G.)
Sir Leslie and Lady Munro have two daughters.
on a healthy planet