Keith Holyoake

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Rt. Hon. Sir Keith Holyoake
Keith Holyoake

Rt. Hon. Sir Keith Holyoake
In office
20 September 1957 – 12 December 1957
12 December 1960 – 7 February 1972
Deputy Jack Marshall (1957 and 1960 - 1972)
Preceded by Sidney Holland (1957)
Walter Nash (1960)
Succeeded by Walter Nash (1957)
Jack Marshall (1972)
In office
13 December 1949 – 12 December 1957
Prime Minister Sidney Holland
Preceded by None (new office)
Succeeded by Jack Marshall
In office
26 October 1977 – 25 October 1980
Preceded by Denis Blundell
Succeeded by David Beattie
Born 11 February 1904
Pahiatua, Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
Died 8 December 1983 (aged 79)
Wellington, Flag of New Zealand New Zealand
Constituency Motueka, Pahiatua
Political party Reform, National
Spouse Dame Norma Janet Ingram (DCMG,QSO), married 1934, five children
Profession Farmer
Religion Presbyterian

Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, KG, GCMG, CH, QSO, KStJ (11 February 1904 - 8 December 1983) was a New Zealand politician. He was National Party Prime Minister from September 20, 1957 to December 12, 1957, then again from December 12, 1960 to February 7, 1972. He was Governor-General of New Zealand from 1977 to 1980. Holyoake is the third longest serving Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Holyoake was born a short distance from Pahiatua, a town in New Zealand's Wairarapa region. His family lived for a time in both Hastings and Tauranga, but in 1913, settled in Riwaka, near Motueka.

At age 12, having left school after his father's death, Holyoake worked on the family hop and tobacco farm in Riwaka. His mother, Esther, had trained as a school teacher, and continued his education at home. After taking over the management of the farm, he became involved in various local farming associations, something that increased his interest in politics.

[edit] Early political career

The Reform Party, which had strong rural support, selected Holyoake as its candidate for the Motueka seat in the 1931 election. The incumbent MP, George Black, held the seat, but died the following year. Holyoake was the Reform Party's candidate in the resulting by-election, and was successful. He became the youngest Member of Parliament at the time.

In the 1935 election, Holyoake retained his seat despite a massive swing against the Reform-United coalition. In the aftermath of this election, he played a key role in transforming the coalition into the modern National Party. He very quickly gained considerable respect from his colleagues, and was regarded as a rising star in the new party. In the 1938 election, however, Holyoake lost his seat to a challenger from the governing Labour Party.

In 1943 he returned to Parliament as MP for Pahiatua, having been lined up by National for that nomination. In 1946, he became the party's Deputy Leader. After National won the 1949 election, new Prime Minister Sidney Holland appointed Holyoake as Minister of Agriculture. Later, Holland made him the first person to be formally appointed Deputy Prime Minister.

[edit] Prime Minister

Statue of Sir Keith Holyoake outside the State Services Commission, Molesworth Street, Wellington, New Zealand.
Statue of Sir Keith Holyoake outside the State Services Commission, Molesworth Street, Wellington, New Zealand.

Holyoake became Prime Minister a short time before the 1957 election, Sidney Holland having retired due to ill-health. The election was narrowly won by the Labour Party, and Holyoake was Leader of the Opposition for three years before National returned to power in the 1960 election.

National's victory is often attributed to Holyoake's skillful campaigning, particularly his attacks on Minister of Finance Arnold Nordmeyer's so-called "Black Budget".

Holyoake was the third longest-serving New Zealand Prime Minister (just under 12 years), surpassed by Richard Seddon's 13 years and William Massey's close to 13 years. He was known for his diplomatic style and "plummy" voice. He was also fondly (or mockingly) known as Kiwi Keith, a name given to him in childhood. In 1972 he resigned as Prime Minister to ease the succession for his deputy and friend, Jack Marshall.

When National under Marshall was defeated, Holyoake remained prominent in Opposition. He played an active part in the 1975 election, which saw National regain power again under Robert Muldoon. Muldoon appointed Holyoake to the specially created sinecure of Minister of State.

See also: Second National Government of New Zealand

[edit] Governor-General

In 1977, Holyoake was unexpectedly and controversially appointed Governor-General by Queen Elizabeth II on the advice of the then Prime Minister Robert Muldoon. This choice was controversial, with many opponents of Muldoon's government claiming that it was a political appointment. The Leader of the Opposition, Bill Rowling hinted that Labour might remove Holyoake as Governor-General should the Labour Party win the 1978 general election, and openly suggested that he would have appointed Sir Edmund Hillary as Governor-General. This suggestion was in turn criticised by the Government, as Sir Edmund had backed Labour in 1975 as part of the "Citizens for Rowling" campaign [1]. As a result of the appointment, Holyoake resigned from Parliament, causing the Pahiatua by-election of 1977.

His conduct while in office, however, was acknowledged by most to be fair and balanced. His term as Governor-General was only for three years, on account of his age (he was the oldest Governor-General to date) and ended in 1980.

[edit] Later life

He died in December 1983, aged 79, in Wellington.

[edit] Decorations, Awards and Memberships

Preceded by
Sir Denis Blundell		 Governor-General of New Zealand
1977–1980		 Succeeded by
Sir David Beattie

 

Prime Minister of New Zealand NZ Coat of Arms
Preceded by: Sidney Holland (1957) Succeeded by: Walter Nash
Preceded by: Walter Nash (1960-1972) Succeeded by: Jack Marshall
Sewell | Fox | Stafford | Domett | Whitaker | Weld | Waterhouse | Vogel | Pollen | Atkinson | Grey | Hall | Stout | Ballance | Seddon | Hall-Jones | Ward | Mackenzie | Massey | Bell | Coates | Forbes | Savage | Fraser | Holland | Nash | Holyoake | Marshall | Kirk | Rowling | Muldoon | Lange | Palmer | Moore | Bolger | Shipley | Clark

[edit] References

  1. ^ Doughty, Ross The Holyoake years, Feilding, 1977, Chapter 7 "Elder Statesman"

[edit] External links

Persondata
NAME Holyoake, Keith Jacka
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION Viceroy, Prime Minister of New Zealand, politician
DATE OF BIRTH 11 February 1904
PLACE OF BIRTH near Pahiatua, New Zealand
DATE OF DEATH 8 December 1983
PLACE OF DEATH Wellington, New Zealand
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