Hilda Ross

Dame Hilda Ross, DBE (born 6 July 1883, Whangarei, New Zealand - died 6 March 1959, Hamilton, New Zealand) was a New Zealand politician and activist.

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Early years

She was born as Grace Hilda Cuthbertha Nixon to Adam Nixon and Zillah Johnson. Her family lived in Sydney and Auckland.

Marriage

In 1904 she married Harry Campbell Manchester Ross (died 1940) in Auckland. Her husband founded a furnishing company, Barton and Ross. They had four sons but two died in their infancy.

Political career

She was a cabinet minister from 1949 to 1957 in the First National Government. Her first elected posts were the Waikato Hospital Board (1941) and the Hamilton Borough Council (1944).

Following the death of the incumbent MP for Hamilton (Frank Findlay), she won the by-election to represent Hamilton in the New Zealand Parliament, where she remained until her death 14 years later in 1959.[1] As MP she held various posts including Minister in Charge of the Welfare of Women and Children, Minister in Charge of Child Welfare and Minister of Social Security.[1]

DBE

She was awarded the DBE in 1956.[2]

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Legacy

References

  1. ^ a b Hilda Ross bio
  2. ^ Biodata
  3. ^ Quotation

Sources

External links