Sir Joseph George Ward

Born, 1856, Melbourne, Australia

Died, 1930

Liberal Party Prime Minister:-6 August 1906-28 March 1912; (second term)United Party Prime Minister 10 December 1928-28 May 1930.

Ward was born at Emerald Hill, Melbourne, Victoria in 1856. He emigrated to New Zealand with his parents when he was three. He attended Bluff school until the age of 13, when he joined the post and telegraph service as a messenger. At the age of 20 he joined the railway service.

Ward's public life began in 1878 when he was elected to the Campbelltown borough council, of which he was a member until 1897, including six of those years as mayor. Ward was also a member of the Bluff harbour board from 1881 to 1887. He was chairman for two terms during that time.

In 1890 Ward made his first effort to enter national politics, and succeeded in winning the Awarua seat. He retained the seat continuously until 1919. Having only been in Parliament for a year, his administrative ability was noticed by Ballance who invited him to accept office as Postmaster-General. Later in Seddon's cabinet he assumed the offices of Colonial Treasurer and Minister of Customs, and in the second year he took the department of Marine and the new department of Industries and Commerce. Ward established the State Advances office in 1894, which was destined to be one of the most beneficent departments of state, and was never seriously challenged.

In 1897 Ward's personal company failed, and being himself seriously embarrassed, he vacated his seat and withdrew from the ministry. Within a month of his seat becoming vacant, he was re-elected, and which time he rejoined the ministry as Colonial Secretary and Minister of Trade and Customs. In January 1900 Ward took charge of Railways, and on 1 January 1901 universal penny postage was inaugurated in New Zealand. Ward received the honour of K.C.M.G. in recognition of this work.

Ward was out of the country when Seddon's death occurred, but when he returned on 6 August 1906 (Hall-Jones had been standing in as Prime Minister during the interim) Ward assumed office as Prime Minister, Minister of Finance, Postmaster-general and Minister of Defence.

During his time as Prime Minister, Ward visited London, and returned six months later to announce that New Zealand had changed from a 'Colony' to a 'Dominion'. On 15 February 1912 a general election was held, resulting in the two major parties being equal. It was clear that Ward could not hope to go on, and Ward advised that Thomas McKenzie be called upon to form a ministry.

Ward continued to lead the Liberal Party in opposition. On the outbreak of war in 1914, a general election resulted in a position almost of stalemate as far as party politics were concerned. Massey took office with his National ministry, in which Ward was Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Postmaster-general.

Ward later got elected to Parliament as Member for Invercargill, and in that Parliament the Liberal party assumed its new name of 'United'. Ward was out of the country at the time, but on his return accepted leadership of the party. Following yet another election resulting in stalemate, Ward took office as Prime Minister on 10 December 1928. He remained as Prime Minister until 15 May 1930 when his health had deteriorated so much that he was compelled to resign the premiership.

On 1 January 1930 Ward was created a G.C.M.G. His death occurred on 8 July 1930, little more than a month after his resignation as Prime Minister. Ward had married in 1883, his wife dying three years before him, in 1927.