Gar Neale's great grandfather and family migrated to New Zealand from Stroud, Gloucestershire, England, in the 1840s, settling in Auckland.

Returning to Nelson from Blenheim in 1920, he went into partnership with J E Milner as a public accountant, auditor, and secretary.

In the 1951 New Year Honours, Florence Neale was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for public services in Nelson.

The Neales named the home Green Gables[8] and lived there until about the time his first wife, Florence, died in 1954.

Neale moved to a new home in Moana Avenue on the Port Hills overlooking Tahuna Beach where he resided until his death.

In 1902, he was reported as participating in the Nelson Athletic and Cycling Club Labour Weekend Central School 100-yard and 220-yard running races.

), Municipal Association of New Zealand (president 1947–1948), Cawthorn Institute (board member representing the Nelson City Council 1943–?,[17] Secretary 1946), National Patriotic Fund (1941–?

In 1932, he, along with Arthur Rutland Edwards of Motueka and George E Manson of Stoke, was appointed to the Nelson Mortgagors' Liabilities Adjustment Commission under the Morgagors' Relief Amendment Act 1931 by the Minister of Justice, John Cobbe.

[18] With a change of Government and legislation all three were reappointed under the Mortgagees and Lessees Rehabilitation Act 1936 by the Attorney-General Rex Mason.

[19] The purpose of the commissions was to assist the Supreme Court in the adjustment of mortgages, a relief measure because of the Great Depression.

[20] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1946 New Year Honours and the Coronation Medal in 1953 for service to the community.

[2] In 1946, he stood as the National Party candidate for Nelson and was elected,[21] replacing the legendary and recently deceased Harry Atmore, an MP who had held the electorate for 30 years.

[25] In his maiden speech on 9 July 1947,[26] Neale stated that he had entered Parliament with "a deep sense of responsibility and with some humility".

Under Sidney Holland, he was a Parliamentary Under-Secretary from 1950 to 1954 to the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Charles Bowden, followed by Jack Watts),[27] but stepped down from this position due a prolonged periods of illness.

[21] Neale was a strong supporter of the Nelson railway line, and extending it to link with the South Island system.

[29][30] However this was against National policy, and in 1954 Minister of Railways Stan Goosman announced the suspension of the Nelson-Glenhope line, and a five-year programme of accelerated road development.

Also speaking at the protest were Jerry Skinner, MP for Buller, and Walter Nash, then Leader of the Labour Party.