Walter Nash

Walter Nash (1882–1968) became Labour Member of Parliament for the Hutt Valley (Wellington) seat in a 1929 by-election. He continued to represent this seat until his death. When Labour won office in 1935 he became Minister of Finance. In 1951 he was the Labour leader, and became Prime Minister and Minister of Maori Affairs when Labour again won office in 1957.

Before the election, Labour's Maori Policy Committee, chaired by the Southern Maori MP Eruera Tirikatene, had wanted a more vigorous Maori land policy and a seat in Cabinet for a senior Maori representative. Traditionally a Maori Cabinet Member was appointed on this basis, but this had lapsed. These requests were not acted upon. The historian Claudia Orange notes that Nash jealously guarded his role in Maori policy and gave the Maori Members a "poor hearing". The Maori Policy Committee had also requested that 6 February (Waitangi Day) be declared a public holiday. This had formed a part of Labour's 1957 election manifesto, but Nash did not act on it. In the end Nash responded to pressure from Tirikatene and other Maori Members by making 6 February a "day of thanksgiving". Waitangi Day did not become a national public holiday until the 1970s.

See also: biography of Walter Nash at DNZB website