THE PRIME MINISTER

Career of Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage

THIRTY-EIGHT YEARS IN LABOUR

PARTY

For the second time the Rt. Hon. Michael Joseph Savage becomes Prime Minister of New Zealand. Now in his sixtyseventh year, Mr Savage has been in. Parliament since 1919.. . The Prime Minister’s tours through New Zealand during the last session and the election campaign provided striking demonstrations of the esteem in which he is held by supporters of the Labour Party.

Mr Savage is a native of Victoria, having been born dn a farm near Benalla in 1872. His father, Richard Savage, who had arrived with his wife from Ireland a short time before the son was born, had a farm about 12 miles from Benalla, and it was in this atmosphere of country life that New Zealand’s Prime Minister spent his early years. At the age of 14 years, he took a position as a shop assistant in a general store at Benalla, and worked there until the big bank crash of 1893 occurred. Thousands were compelled to look for work, and Mr Savage was one of them. He moved to New South Wales, and there' found employment on one of the stations of Sir Samuel McCaughey, afterwards a member of the Legislative Council, and one of the few millionaires of Australia.For a great part of his time on that station, Mr Savage worked at scooping out irrigation channels. The district, almost uninhabited then, is now the site of the. town of Griffiths, with a population approaching 20,000. ,Mr Savage found employment with other men in the district until 1900, when he went to the mining town of Rutherglen, in Victoria, where his .brother was working. He did not intend to stay, but before long he found himself working in a deep alluvial mine at North Prentice, near Rutherglen. He then became secretary of the Political Labour Council, now named the Australian Labour Party, and it was there, during his first six or seven years, that he met Mr P. C. Webb, who is now Minister for Mines in his Cabinet, and accompanies him on all his tours away from Wellington. Savage was in the midst of the co-operative movement started among the miners, and was appointed organiser and subsequently manager of the bakery and grocery store. However, he found that this work was not congenial, and after nine or 10 months in the store, he was induced by Mr Webb to come to New Zealand.' Though he had definitely decided to go to the West Coast, he went first to Palmerston North. •

Tt is significant that Mr Savage landed in New Zealand on Labour Day, 1906, and his first employment was in Mr George Sieferl’s flaxmill at Tokomara. He worked there for only six months, and some reference to the starting of a co-operative grocery in Auckland attracted him there. That particular venture did not come to anything, but he Jias made Auckland his home town ever since. ‘ He obtained employment in Hancock’s brewery, where the varied mechanical knowledge he had acquired—he holds among other proofs a mining cexTificate under- the Victorian Mines Act — was tunxed to good account. He was mainly employed as a cellarman. He became a leader in the Labour Party, and stood for Auckland Central in its interests in 1911 and 1914. being defeated on both occasions by Mr Albert E. Glover. In 1919 he successfully contested the Auckland West seat, which he has held ever since. At that time, he was national secretary of the Labour Party, but he resigned the position on entering Parliament." That -election was the first that Auckland sent thx-ee Labour members to the House, the other two being Mr W. E. Parry and Mr F. N. Bartram. When Mr James McCombs retired from the ppsition of deputyleader of the party in 1923, Mr Savage was unanimously appointed in, his place. Elected to both the Auckland City Council and Hospital Board in 1919, he was forced to retire four years later because of pressure of work; but in 1927 he was again a candidate and held the office until he became Leader of the party on the death of Mr H. E. Holland, in October, 1933. He revisited Australia in 1926, with three others from New Zealand, as a delegate to the conference of the British Empire Parliamentary Association. Mr Savage represented the Dominion at the. coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in 1937, and also at the Imperial Conference,- He is a member of the Privy Council.

and was seriously wounded in 1917. As a footballer-, swimmer," and rower, Mr Langford has a splendid record. He represented South Canterbux-y for many years, played for the South Island in 1914, arid was a member of the New Zealand Army team in England in 1916. He was vice-president of the South Cantex-bury Rugby Union and an executive member of the Geraldine Racing Club. MR J. A. LEE (L.), GREY LYNN, Mr Lee, who was Under-Secx-etary for Housing in the first Labour Government. was born in Otago in 1891, and was educated in Dunedin. After working on farms in Otago and Southland, he went to the North Island in 1909 and joined the Public Works Department. He was awarded the D.C.M. for conspicuous gallantry ' at Messines, and his left forearm was shot off at Mailly Maillet in 1918. From 1922 to 1928, he represented Auckland East, and was returned for Grey Lynn in 1931. He is the author of several books, including “Children of the Poor” and “Socialism in New Zealand.” MR L. G. LOWRY (L.). OTAKI. Mr Lowry was born in London in 1884, was educated at Bax-net Grammar School, and entered the Civil Service. He travelled extensively, finally settling in New Zealand in 1906. Before the Great War he was in the employ of the Wellington City Council. He left with the fifth reinforcements, and on his return from active sex-vice in 1918 was offered an appointment in the New Zealand Defence Forces. This he declined, and took up business as a bookseller and stationer in Otaki, where he has resided ever since. Mr Lowry has served as chairman of the finance committee of the Otaki Borough Council, Otaki Licensing Bench, the Otaki Fire Board, and the New Zealand Booksellers’ Council. He has been chairman of ,the Otaki Borough Council, a member of the advisory committee of the Otaki branch of, the Plunket Society, and at one time was conductor of the Otaki Choral Society. He won Otaki m 1935. ■ MR W. J. LYON (L.), WAITEMATA. Mr W. J. Lyon enters Parliament for the second time. He was born in England and came to New Zealand in 1927, settlirig in Hawke's Bay. The following year he contested the Hawke’s Bay seat and nearly trebled the labour vote. He wai elected to the Hastings Borough Council and the "Napier Harbour Board in 1929, but resigned to go to Auckland to live. There he was prominent in work for- the unemployed, and was president for several years of the Auckland Provincial Unemployed Workers’ Association. He entered Parliament for Waitemata in 1935. and since then has been prominently associated with the Labour Government’s defence reorganisation. He served during the Great War and subsequently was transferred to the Reserve of Later he was attached to the War Office with the Military Intelligence Division (Codes and Ciphers) . MR T. L. MACDONALD (N.), MATAIIRA. Mr Macdonald was bom at Invercargill, beixxg the oixly son of the late Mr and Mrs Thomas Forsaith Macdonald, who were connected with two of Southland’s best known pioneering families. After being educated at the South School and the Southland Boys’ High School, Ije entered the Union Steam Ship Company’s Invercargill office, and for two years he was on the sea staff. In 1918 he volunteered for military service, and was drafted to the Auckland Mounted Rifles in Palestine and Egypt. On being demobilised, Mr Macdonald went farming, and spent three years as a shepherd and teamster in the Mossburn district. In 1923, he acquired a property at Rankleburn, near Tapanui, and farmed it till May, when he took up his residence in Gore. While at Tapanui, he was president of the Farmers’ Union and Farmers’ Club, and also of the Kelso Agricultural and " Pastoral Society. ’ HON. W. LEE MARTIN (L.), RAGLAN. Mr Martin was born in Oamaru 63 years ago. He was educated at Waimate and lived for many years in Wellington, where he was engaged in the oil and colour trade. He was then a member of the Painters’ Union. After a period in Wanganui he went to the Waikato 25 years ago, and took up farming at Matangi. Mr Lee Martin served for many years on school committees, road boards, and factory suppliers’ committees. He has been a member of the Central Waikato Electric Power Board since its inception 18 years ago. He unsuccessfully contested the Hamilton seat in the interests of the Labour Party in 1925. When the Hon. R. F. Bollard died in 1927, Mr Lee Martin stood for Raglan, and won the seat, which he successfully contested again in 1928. He was defeated by Mr D. S. Reid in 1931, and was returned again in 1935. He is Minister for Agi-icultux-e. THE HON. H. G. B. MASON (L.), AUCKLAND SUBURBS. Mr Mason, Attorney-General in the first Labour Governmetit, was born in Wellington 53 years ago. and was educated at Wellington College and Victoria College. He was admitted as a solicitor in 1909, and as a barrister in 1923. He was Mayor of Pukekohe from 1915 to 1919. He contested Manakau in 1919 and Eden in 1922 arid 1925, and was finally elected as Labour member for Auckland Suburbs In. 1928. MR J. N. MASSEY (N.), FRANKLIN. Mr Massey, who regains the seat he lost in 1935, is perhaps the best known of the sons of the late Rt. Hoh. W. F. Massey. He has been fanning at Puni since 1907 and has given many years of service as chairman of the Franklin County Council and the Aka Aka Drainage Board. As a member of the Rural Intermediate Credit Board, he is recogpised as an authority on rural finance. He has also made a study of the problems of native affairs.

church, and was later a prominent member of the Marist Football Club. In the war he was with the Fourth Reinforcements in the Engineers, and served in Egypt and France. He took a keen interest in the Labour movement in the Kaikoura and Blenheim districts before defeating Mr E.f-F. Healy at the 1935 election.' He has been a co-opted member to the; Minister for Public Works. He was formerly employed in the department.

HR T. H. McCOMBS (L), Lyttelton. . Mr McCombs is the son of the late Mr James McCombs, who was member for Lyttelton for 18 years, and of the late Mrs E. R. McCombs, who held the seat lor two years before her deatifc. He was born in Christchurch in 1904 and was educated at the Christchutch Boys* High School, the Waitaki Boys High School, and Canterbury College. He won the Charles Cook memorial research scholarship, in 1928. graduated Master of Science with honours in chemistry in 1929, and won a national research scholarship in 1929-30. tie held a number of teaching positions and was connected with forestry work. He was a member of the staff of tbe Seddon Memorial College in Auckland when he was first elected at the by? election in 1935. »IR R. McKEEN (L.), WELLINGTON SOUTH Mr McKeen was born in Edinburgh in 1884 and was educated at West Calder. Heart of Midlothian. Alter working as a groper’s- assistant in .cooperative stores there, he came to New Zealand in 1899, and became secretary of three unions. He was secretary of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee for three years. He has been a member of the City Council. As a Labour-Socialist member, he was returned for Wellington South in 1922 and has retained the seat since. DR. D. G. McMILLAN (L.J, DUNEDIN WEST Dr. McMillan was born at New Plymouth and was educated at the Stratford District High School, of which he was dux in 1921. Gaining a Taranaki University Scholarship he went to the Otago University, where he received his medical training. After acting as house surgeon at the Christchurch and Masterton Public Hospitals, lie went to Kurow. where he was medical officer of the Waitaki Hydro Medical Association and of the Kurow Maternity Hospital. He is a' member of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association. Dr. McMillan joined the ‘Labour Party in 1923, and- while a resident of North Otago, was of the Waitaki Labour Representation Committee. He has sat on the Dunedin City Councli for four years. Elected to Parliament in 1935, he was appointed chairman of the Maternity Commission’and tooJt. a leading part in social security legislation preparation. am a: f. moncub (L.), botorua. Mr Moncur was born in Victoria in 1888, came to New Zealand at an early age, and for some l 'time worked at farming occupations near Dunedin. In 1910 he joined the Railway Department, and resigned from the service while stationed at Rotorua. During his association with the railway service Mr Moncyr was president of the Auckland branch of the Associated Society of Railway Servants, and after he left the service he settled in the Bay of Plenty district. He has been a member of the Whakatane Borough Council, secretary of the Whakatane Domain Board, a member of the Whakatane School Committee, and secretary of the Whakatane branch of_ the Labour Party since its inception. In 1928 Mr Moncur unsuccessfully contested the Bay of Plenty seat and in 1931 * the Rotorua' seat which he won in 1935. MR J, W. MUNRO (L.), DUNEDIN NORTH Mr Munro, who has spent all his life in Dunedin, was born in 1870. By oqcupation a baker, ’ he was for some years in partnership with Mr P. Neilson. He was president of the Bakers' Union, and for six years vice-presi-dent of the Otago Trades and Labour Council. Following five unsuccessful attempts to enter Parliament, be won Dunedin Nprth in 1922, at a by-election retained it at the general election, but was defeated in 1925. He regained the seat in 1928. Mr Munro has been a member of the Otago Harbour Board and the Dunedin City Council.

MR E. B. MEACHEN (L.j, MARLBOROUGH Mr Meachen was educated at the Marist Brothers’ School in Christ-

THE HON. W. NASH (L.), HUTT. Mr Nash was born at Kidderminster, England, in 1882. He came to New Zealand in 1909 and formed a branch of the Labour Party at New Plymouth in 1918. He represented the party at the International Socialist Conference at Geneva in 1920. From 1920 till elected for Hutt in 1929, a by-election being caused by Sir Thomaf

Wilford's appointment as High Com- : J , missioner. he was national secretary A, for the Labour Party. His profes- -js- - is accountancy. He was twice 'i defeated for the Hutt seat.. He led the '*■ New Zealand delegation to the confer-' r~ ence of the Institute of Pacific Rela- - - 'lions at Honolulu in 1927 and to Banff in 1933. On Labour being elected the v Government, he became f0r,,,. Finance and Customs, and later Min- f / ister for Marketing. He visited England and the Continent- In 1937. # MR J. O’BRIEN (L.l, WESTLAND. Mr O’Brien was born at Forest' Creek, Victoria, in 1875, and' spent some years coal-boring on the west - coast of Queensland, He was _an en- . . gine driver at the . State Mines- -at . Dunollie, and became manager of the ' Grey River Argus Company in 1920. He served terms of three years on the Runanga and Greyxnouth Borough.' ,■ Councils, After failing in 1919, he de- 1] feated Mr T. E; Y. Seddon for West-, land in 1922, but was defeated in turn at the following, election. He won the seat back in 1i928, and has ’held it- ■ since. He was mentioned some time 1 ago as likely to be appointed Adminis- - trator of Samoa. HR P. NEILSON (L.), DUNEDIN CENTRAL- ' Mr Neilson was born in Dunedin and—received his education at the George Street School. He is a baker by trade,' and was'in business for a number, of - years with Mr J. W. Munro. ’He was „• a member of the Maori.Hill Borough , Council for. four years before the r amalgamation of the borough with the city, and sat for one term as a member of the City Council, being the council’s nominee on the Dunedin ~ Metropolitan Fire Board. He was pre- ; sident of the Otago Trades and Labour Council, and a member of the executive of the Otago Labour Representation Committee. In addition, he-occu- • pied the position of district area officer on the National Executive of the New Zealand Labour Party. He won the seat in 1935. ' MR 4. H. NORDMEYEB (L.), OAMARU Mr Nordmeyer was bom in Dunedin 37 years ago. He spent Ms early “ boyhood in Alexandra, and later iff Oaznaru, receiving his secondary education at the iW aitaki Boys’ High .. .• School At the University of Otago he received his BA degree, and the di- v ~ oioma in social* science. At the end of his university course he entered Knox ! College Theological Hall ; He was , called to the Kurow Presbyteriain v Church, where he was minister, for 1 nearly 10 years. Mr Nordmeyer was an able debater at the university, and was selected .to represent Otago against the debating team of the Oxford Union. In his own district he closely identified himself with public affairs.' He was a referee and selector ’'of the Waitaki Rugby Football Sub-Union. He was a convener of the bills and business committee of the Presbyterian Assembly. He was elected in 1935 and became chairman of the committee which heard evidence on the social Mcurity proposals. MR A. G. OSBORNE (L.), ONEHUNGA Mr Osborne is a native of Christ church, but went to Auckland ag a child. He was trained in the boot manufacturing business. During his apprenticeship and as a tradesman he took an active pact in the work of his * union. Mr Osborne was largely instrumental in forming the present Labour Party organisation in the Waitemata* electorate, and for some years served as secretary of the Northcote branch. He has been vice-president of the Auckland Labour Representation! . Committee, and was for several years a member of the Northcote School Committee. He contested the Waitemata seat on previous occasions, was unsuccessful in 1935 for Parnell and was elected member for Manakau when Mr W. J. Jordan was appointed High Commissioner in London. THE HON. W. E. PARRY (L.), AUCKLAND CENTRAL. Mr Parry was born at Orange, New South Wales, and was a miner in his youth. He arrived in New Zealand in 1906, and was president of the Waiid Miners’ Union for a period. A member of the Royal Commission of Mines in 1911, he was prominent in the formation of the Federation of Labour and was a member of the Social Democrat Party. He became secretary of the Coal Miners’ Federation in 1918, ~nd was elected for Ai;ck!aud Central in 19)9. He has held the seat since and i is Minister for Internal Affairs in the . j Labour Ministr:. I (CONTENDED 0N PAGE 14$