Sir James Lawrence Hay OBE (17 May 1888 – 26 March 1971) was a New Zealand businessman, local politician and philanthropist.
He worked for drapers in rural Otago and South Canterbury and eventually joined J. Ballantyne and Co, Christchurch's leading department store then moved to management in Beath's.
Hay's organising skills and flair for publicity, elephants were hired to advertise a sale, helped the new store become profitable but in 1933 in the Great Depression the Auckland parent company collapsed.
[6] The town hall was opened some 18 months after his death, and the second largest performance space was named the James Hay Theatre in his honour.
[9] In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal,[10] and in the 1961 Queen's Birthday Honours he was appointed a Knight Bachelor for civic and charitable services.