John Gilbert McLaren was born on 15 October 1871 at Parramatta, NSW.  He was educated at Sydney Boys High School and the University of Sydney.  In 1888 he joined the New South Wales Public Service as a clerk in the Money Order Office and the Government Savings Bank. 

On 1 March 1901 he transferred to the Commonwealth Public Service as clerk in the Money Order Branch of the Postmaster General's Department.  From 1904 to 1919 he was Commonwealth Electoral Officer for New South Wales.  From 1911 to 1912 he was a Member of the Commission on redistribution of boundaries of Commonwealth Electorates in NSW. 

McLaren became Assistant Secretary in the Prime Minister's Department (CA 12) from 1 July 1919 (1) to 1921 and later Secretary of the Department of Home and Territories (CA 15) from 1921 to 1928.  He was assigned to reorganise the Northern Territory Public Service in 1925. He was appointed a Member of the Public Service Board in 1928 (2).   From 1929 to 1932 McLaren was Secretary to the Prime Minister's Department (CA 12) and the Department of External Affairs (CA 18).  He was a Member of the Canberra University Council from 1930 to 1932, Chairman of the Australian Tobacco Investigation 1931 to 1932 and in 1932 Chairman of the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Employment.

From 1933 to 1936 McLaren was Official Secretary in London to the Commonwealth (3).  From February and June 1934 he was Acting High Commissioner for Australia in London. During this period he represented Australia at the International Labour Conferences in Geneva in 1933 and 1934.  Each year from 1933 to 1936 he appeared before the Permanent Mandates Commission in Geneva when the Annual Reports on New Guinea and Nauru were presented.  As Deputy High Commissioner he attended the London Naval Conference 1935-1936.  In 1936 he was on the Council of Accession in regard to King Edward VIII.
 
Sir John retired from public service on the 14 October 1936 (4).


References

1. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 89, 17 July 1919, p 1160
2. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 66, 5 July 1928, p 2114
3. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 2, 12 January 1933, p 71
4. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, No 85, 15 October 1936, p 1858


Other Sources

Who's Who in Australia, 1922, 1935, 1949, 1955
 

Agency associated with person unregistered

1911-1912: Commission on redistribution of Boundaries of Commonwealth
           Electorates in NSW - Member
1931-1932: Australian Tobacco Investigation - Chairman
1932-1932: Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Employment - Chairman
1933-1934: International Labour Conference, Geneva - Australian
           Government Delegate
1933-1936: Permanent Mandates Commission, Geneva - Australian
           Representative
1935-1936: London Naval Conference - attended as Deputy High
           Commissioner
1936-1936: Council of Accession in regard to King Edward VIII -
           Member