First Labour Government of New Zealand

Foreign affairs and military

In the 1930s, the New Zealand Labour Party was a supporter of the League of Nations (a forerunner to the United Nations), seeing the League as the best way to prevent another major war. However the League proved to be ineffectual, and was unable to prevent the Japanese invasion of Manchuria or the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. Under Labour, the New Zealand representative to the League spoke strongly against appeasement of aggressors, particularly the Italian invasion of Abyssinia and the German occupation of Czechoslovakia. When World War II broke out, New Zealand immediately declared war on Germany, with Savage saying that "where Britain goes, we go". Conscription was introduced during the war, which led some to accuse Labour of hypocrisy, as it had strongly opposed conscription in World War I. The government argued that while the First World War had been an unnecessary imperialist scuffle, the Second World War was a just war against fascist aggressors. Following the war, Fraser was involved in the setting up of the United Nations, and was especially concerned that small countries not be marginalised by the great powers. Peacetime conscription was introduced in 1949, which proved to be an unpopular decision.

Constitutional

The Statute of Westminster Adoption Act 1947 was passed to adopt the Statute of Westminster 1931. This was a significant step to the Independence of New Zealand. Technically New Zealand ceased to be the Dominion of New Zealand and became the Realm of New Zealand, and was fully able to direct its own foreign affairs and military. It also legally separated the British Crown from a New Zealand Crown, meaning that the New Zealand monarchy became legally independent of the British monarchy, and thus the Sovereign of the United Kingdom also became the Sovereign of New Zealand (the first monarch to be declared as such was Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, as Queen of New Zealand).

The country quota was abolished (effective for the ) so that rural and urban electorates contained the same number of voters.

1935 election and government formation

Main article: 1935 New Zealand general election

The immediate context of the 1935 election was the Great Depression which had started in 1929 and affected New Zealand as badly as most other Western countries. Following the 1931 election the Reform and United (also known as Liberal) parties had formed a coalition to deal with it. The Labour Party formed the opposition, arguing that the only way out of the depression was socialism. The coalition government instead supported the economic orthodoxy which was that a balanced budget was of paramount importance and that state spending had to be cut to offset the decline in taxation revenue. They also believed that to provide the unemployed with money without making them work was morally wrong, and so put thousands of unemployed to work on often-pointless 'relief work'. Labour argued that the government needed to increase spending and create real jobs.

By 1935 – after the election had been delayed a year because of the depression – many voters who would not otherwise have trusted Labour were disillusioned with the economic orthodoxy and prepared to try something new. Labour was helped by a change of leadership in 1933, after leader Harry Holland died and was replaced by Michael Joseph Savage, who did not seem to be a frightening communist but rather a kindly uncle figure. Labour achieved an overwhelming victory, taking 53 out of 80 seats. A further two were won by the Māori Rātana movement, which formed an alliance with Labour. Despite the size of its victory, Labour won only 46.1% of the popular vote; the government vote was split between Reform and United, and both parties lost votes on the right to the Democrats and the Country Party.

Carl Berendsen, the head of the Prime Minister's Department later said that the first cabinet consisted of "a trio of able men" (Savage, Fraser and Nash), "a witty and worthy toiler" (Semple) "and a gaggle of non-entities". Six of the ministers were born in New Zealand, five in Australia, and one each in England and Scotland. More than half of Labour's caucus were new to Parliament. Berendsen wrote that Nash was a poor administrator and organiser, he: :could not bear to make a decision. Papers piled up in his office. They stayed there for days and weeks, or months or years, and sometime forever. ... (and he) devoted a great deal of time and care to "going over these papers" .... He even carried these heirlooms with him to Washington. This habit of holding papers caused serious dislocation of public business.

1938 election

Main article: 1938 New Zealand general election

The government increased in popularity during its first term, as people felt the benefits of its policies and of economic recovery. It cannot realistically be credited with ending the Depression in New Zealand, as most economic indicators were showing signs of improvement before the 1935 election. However government policies such as an increase in pay for relief workers, job creation and generous education policies did bring major benefits to many. Labour's share of the popular vote increased by nearly 10%, but it did not gain any new seats. While in 1935 the anti-Labour vote had been split between two major and two minor parties, by 1938 the United and Reform parties had merged into the New Zealand National Party, which was able to achieve 40.3% of the popular vote and win 25 seats. The Country and Democrat parties' share of the vote collapsed, with the Country Party losing both its seats. From this point on, New Zealand politics would be dominated by the Labour and National parties.

1943 election

Main article: 1943 New Zealand general election

The 1943 election was held during World War II, and had been postponed by about two years due to the war. Conscription was a minor issue in the election; although both major parties supported it, some saw Labour as hypocrites as they had strongly opposed conscription during World War I. The issue may have lost Labour some support on the left to the Democratic Labour Party, which had been formed by dissident Labour MP John A. Lee following his expulsion from the Labour Party. However the new party received only 4.3% of the vote and won no seats. Labour was given significant help by the votes of New Zealand soldiers overseas, who turned an apparent election-night victory for National into one for Labour; Fraser quipped that "it was not only North Africa that the Second Division had saved". The election was also notable for the defeat of Māori statesman Āpirana Ngata by the Labour-Ratana candidate Tiaka Omana. Labour was to hold the four Māori electorates until 1996.

1946 election

Main article: 1946 New Zealand general election

By 1946 the National Party had gained in strength and credibility. However its support was strongest in rural areas, and in previous elections it had benefited from the country quota, which organised New Zealand electorates so that rural electorates had fewer voters, and therefore rural votes were worth more. In 1945 the government had abolished the quota, which may have cost National the election. Labour gained nearly 4% of the popular vote, but lost three seats, reducing its majority to four. Since the seats it held included the four Māori electorates, the government was said by its opponents to rely on a 'Māori mandate'. It was insinuated that Labour would need to pass unwise pro-Māori policies to stay in power.

Defeat

Main article: 1949 New Zealand general election

By 1949 the government had been in power for 14 years, six of them in wartime. It seemed increasingly worn out and uncertain. The three referendums held in 1949 (in addition to the usual referendum on alcohol licensing, which was held in conjunction with every election), were symptomatic of this. Meanwhile, National had announced that it would not repeal any of Labour's welfare state policies, which endeared it to many who had supported and benefitted from these policies but were tired of the government. National won 51.9% of the popular vote and 46 of out the 80 seats in parliament. Labour would be out of power for another eight years, and would not be in government for more than a single term until 1987.

Election results

Prime ministers

The government was led by Michael Joseph Savage until his death in 1940. He was succeeded by Peter Fraser, who was prime minister for the rest of the government's term. Wilson gives the dates of office-holding as 6 December 1935 to 1 April 1940 for the Savage Ministry (although Savage died on 27 March), and 1 April 1940 to 13 December 1949 for the Fraser Ministry.

File:Michael Joseph Savage Portrait (cropped).jpg|Michael Joseph Savage served 1935–1940 File:Peter Fraser.jpg|Peter Fraser served 1940–1949

Cabinet ministers

War cabinet

The following is a list of ministers from the "War cabinet" (16 July 1940 – 21 August 1945) and "War administration" (30 June 1942 – 2 October 1942). The other members were the Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Finance and Minister of Transport (see above).

Notes

References

References

1. "View All Items". fau.digital.flvc.org.
2. {{harvp. Brooking. 2004
3. {{harvp. Bassett. 2000
4. {{harvp. Berendsen. 2009