SIR WALTER BROADFOOT DIES

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30856, 15 September 1965, Page 3

SIR WALTER BROADFOOT DIES

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 14.

A funeral service was held today for Sir Walter Broadfoot, Postmaster - General from 1949 to 1954, who died on Friday. He was 84.

Sir Walter Broadfoot was born in a postmaster’s house in Lower Hutt, where his father was postmaster, his mother was once postmistress at Pahi and Sir Walter Broadfoot himself was a messenger in the Chief Post Office at Auckland while studying law at night. He qualified in law in 1907 and practised in Hamilton be fore going to Te Kuiti, where he specialised in native law

and built up the biggest practice of its kind in New Zealand.

He was Mayor of Te Kuiti for a time, and in 1928 was elected to Parliament. He remained in Parliament as member for Waitomo until his retirement in 1954. He was Junior Opposition Whip from 1936 to 1941 and Senior Whip from 1941 to 1949 when the National Party became the Government and he joined the first National Cabinet as Postmaster-Gene-ral, Minister in charge of the Valuation Department and Minister in charge of the Government Printing Office. He was a member of the short-lived War Administration of 1942 as Minister of Manpower. He was knighted in 1955, the year after his retirement from politics. In his younger days Sir

Walter Broadfoot represented Auckland at hockey and was half-back in a junior Rugby team.

His wife died in 1945, and he is survived by his two daughters. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today Sir Walter Broadfoot gave most valuable service to New Zealand as a member of Parliament and Cabinet Minister. “He was a loyal colleague who made a significant contribution to the development of the National Party,” said Mr Holyoake. “His contribution to debates on land development and education were particularly valued in addition to his achievements as postmaster-general.”

The Prime Minister said Sir Walter Broadfoot was responsible for the development of the rural automatic telephone system.