The Evening Post, 8 December 1931
(Wellington, New Zealand)

WELL-KNOWN CITIZENS
SIR JOHN P. LUKE
By the death of Sir John Pearce Luke, which occurred suddenly last evening, Wellington has lost a highly respected and loved citizen, whose record in civic and political service has been a long and most useful one.
Sir John Luke, who was in his 73rd year, was born in St. Just, near Penzance, Cornwall, and came to Wellington in 1874 with his parents. Within a month of his arrival in the capital Mr. Luke engaged to complete his apprenticeship with the late Mr. E. W. Mills, in the Lion Foundry, where he was soon in touch with a wide range of work.
In 1879 the late Mr. S. Luke established the Te Aro Engineering Works with his sons, Messrs. C. M. Luke and John P. Luke, and the business prospered with the development of Wellington and New Zealand. Of this firm he was joint manager and director until the business was merged into the firm of Jas. J. Niven and Co., Ltd.
The public life of Sir John Luke commenced with his being elected a member of the Newtown School Committee. In 1898 he was elected a member of the City Council for the Cook Ward, and soon after his election he interested himself in the improvement of tramways. The resolution for the purchase of the horse trams, and the installation of an electrical system, was proposed by Councillor Luke. He next concentrated on the abolition of the ward system, and had the satisfaction of seeing rapid progress for the greater Wellington movement. The duplication of the Wainui main was a project which he advocated from his early association with the council. As a member of the Reserves Committee, of which he was chairman for some years, he strove with a will to provide playgrounds. He was elected to the Mayoral chair in 1913, and relinquished the office in 1921, having occupied the position for eight of the most eventful and strenuous years in the history of the Dominion, including the war and epidemic periods. As Mayor and Mayoress during the war period and the immediate post-war years, Sir John and Lady Luke performed such signal services that the Returned Soldiers’ Association conferred upon them the honour of life membership of the organisation.
Another sphere of activity was technical education, which was heartily encouraged during his chairmanship of the board. For many years he was a member of the Hospital Board.
He was elected M.P. for Wellington Suburbs in 1908, and remained a member until 1911. In 1918 he was elected M.P. for Wellington North, and continued to represent that constituency until 1928. Sir John Luke’s career as a member of Parliament was one of great usefulness, particularly as chairman of the Labour Bills Committee and chairman of the Committee for Consolidating the Municipal Laws, while he did good service as a member of several other important committees. He was leader of the New Zealand delegation which visited South Africa in 1924 in connection with the Empire Parliamentary Association.
At the time of his death Sir John was Chairman of the Wellington City Council Sinking Funds Commissioners and of the National War Funds Council. He was also a member of the commission which reported on the conditions of returned soldiers, and made recommendations to the Government . For some years Sir John was a member of the Thorndon Bowling Club, previously belonging to the Wellington Bowling Club.
Sir John Luke was married in 1880 to Miss Jacobina McGregor, daughter of Mr. H. A. McGregor, formerly Government Inspector of Machinery. They celebrated their golden wedding in November of last year. He was knighted in 1921. Lady Luke, who survives him, has also a notable record of service in public and social affairs.
Sir John Luke is survived by his widow, four sons (Messrs. John Pearce Luke, George Luke, and Francis William Luke, of Wellington, and Mr. Henry Alexander Luke, of Wanganui) and one daughter (Mrs. E. H. Charlesworth, of Lower Hutt).
There will be a funeral service at St Paul’s Pro-Cathedral to-morrow at 11.15 a.m. The interment will be private.

The Brisbane Courier, Thursday 3 December 1925
(New South Wales)

An active life both in business and in politics has been the lot of Sir John P. Luke, who at the recent New Zealand elections was re-elected for Wellington North, a constituency which he has represented since 1918, previously (from 1908 to 1911) having sat in Parliament as member for Wellington and Suburbs. A native of Cornwall, where he was born in 1858, Sir John went to New Zealand when 16 years of age, and, with his late father and his brothers, for thirty-five years carried on business as a mechanical and marine engineer, being responsible for the carrying out of many important works in the Dominion. For many years he was President of the New Zealand Industrial Association, and has taken a very active part in promoting industry, also doing good work as a member of the Wellington City Council, occupying the Mayoral chair from 1913 to 1921. Created C.M.G. in 1917, he was knighted in 1921.

The Wanganui Chronicle, 5 June 1917
(Manawatu-Wanganui, New Zealand)

BIRTHDAY HONOURS
LONDON June 3
Companion of St. Michael and St. George—Frederick Truby King, New Zealand, and Mr J. Luke, Mayor of Wellington.

The Evening Post, 3 June 1921
(Wellington, New Zealand)

KNIGHTHOODS FOR NEW ZEALANDERS
INCLUDING SIR JOHN LUKE
KNIGHT BACHELOR
John Pearce Luke, formerly Mayor of Wellington.
THE HONOURS
Wellington has reason to be gratified at the honour bestowed by the King upon two of its prominent citizens, and, through them, upon the city as a whole. Sir John Pearce Luke and Sir D. J. McGavin—as they are in future to be known—have rendered good service to the country, each in a different way. During the war years and the difficult years that succeeded them, Sir John Luke devoted the whole of his time to the interests of the city as to its domestic affairs, and to those of the Dominion in his efforts exerted on behalf of the soldiers passing through Wellington on their way to the war or returning from it. In that work he was ably and enthusiastically helped by Lady Luke, who gave up all her time to the splendid work connected more or less directly with the work done by the women of Wellington…

Contributed by Bob Bolitho