Nash, Sir Walter

Nash, Sir Walter (b. 1882, d. 4 June 1968). Prime Minister of New Zealand 1957–60 Born in Worcestershire (England), he worked as a clerk in Birmingham until he emigrated to New Zealand in 1909. A Christian Socialist, he joined the Labour Party in 1916 and was a member of its executive 1919–60. He was first elected to Parliament in 1929 and became the leading spokesman for the moderate wing of the party. With Peter Fraser he organized the party on a national basis and formulated policies which won the election of 1935, when he became Finance Minister (until 1949). In addition, he was Minister of Social Security in 1938, where he was responsible for legislation on child allowances and national health. Together with the social-reform legislation established by Liberal and Labour governments since Seddon, these measures confirmed New Zealand's position as one of the world's most comprehensive welfare states. He became leader of the opposition in 1950 and led Labour to a narrow victory in 1957. As Prime Minister, he initiated comprehensive social welfare in his first year of office, but spent the last two years coping with a dramatic decline in the terms of trade, caused by a flood in imports. The austerity measures which he introduced in response lost him the 1960 elections.