Hilda Ross

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Hilda Ross, ca 1951

Dame Hilda Ross, DBE (6 July 1883 – 6 March 1959) was a New Zealand politician for the National Party and an activist.

Early years

She was born as Grace Hilda Cuthbertha Nixon at Auckland to Adam Nixon and Zillah Johnson. Her family lived in both Sydney and Auckland, and she received her education in these cities. She trained as a music teacher and later conducted the Hamilton City Choral Operatic Society.[1]

Family

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, two of whom died in infancy.[2]

Political career

1945–1946 27th Hamilton National 1949–1951 29th Hamilton National 1951–1954 30th Hamilton National 1954–1957 31st Hamilton National 1957–1959 32nd Hamilton National

Her first elected posts were the Waikato Hospital Board (1941) and the Hamilton Borough Council (1944). She was Deputy Mayor of Hamilton in 1945. Following the death of the incumbent MP for Hamilton, Frank Findlay, she won the to represent the electorate in the New Zealand Parliament, where she remained until her death 14 years later in 1959.[3][4] As MP she held various posts in the First National Government, including Member of the Executive Council (1949–1957),[5] Minister of Social Security (1957), Minister of Welfare of Women and Children (1949–1957), and Minister of Child Welfare (1954–1957).[4]

Later life

She was awarded the DBE in 1956.[3][6] She died on 6 March 1959 in Hamilton.

Quote

  • "Married women with children should wake up to their responsibilities in the home and stay at home".[7]

Legacy

  • Dame Hilda Ross Memorial Arts Centre & Dame Hilda Ross Memorial Arts Centre Appeal

Notes

References

  • Women in Parliamentary Life 1970–1990: Hocken Lecture 1993 by Marilyn Waring, page 34–35 (Hocken Library, University of Otago, 1994) ISBN 0-902041-61-4
  • Background
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