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New Zealand politician From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sir Walter James Broadfoot KBE (6 April 1881 – 10 September 1965) was a New Zealand politician of the United Party, and from 1936, the National Party. He was a cabinet minister from 1949 to 1954 in the First National Government.
Sir Walter Broadfoot | |
|---|---|
| |
| 34th Postmaster-General of New Zealand | |
| In office 13 December 1949 – 26 November 1954 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland |
| Preceded by | Fred Hackett |
| Succeeded by | Tom Shand |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waitomo | |
| In office 14 November 1928 – 5 October 1954 | |
| Preceded by | John Rolleston |
| Succeeded by | David Seath |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 6 April 1881 Lower Hutt, New Zealand |
| Died | 10 September 1965 (aged 84) |
| Political party | United National |
| Profession | Solicitor |
Broadfoot was born in 1881 at Lower Hutt. He received his education at Wellesley Street Public School and Kihikihi School. His first employment was with the Auckland Post Office as a messenger, and this was followed by work as a journalist for the New Zealand Observer. At night, he studied towards a law degree, which led to employment as a clerk in Hamilton in 1907, followed by setting up his own practice in rural Waikato's Te Kūiti in the following year. He specialised in native affairs and land problems.[1] He married Dorothy Caroline Metcalfe (1884-1945), daughter of Henry Hulbert Metcalfe at St. Mary's Cathedral, Parnell, on 20 December 1910.[2] They had two daughters, Beverley and Merron.[3]
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928–1931 | 23rd | Waitomo | United | ||
| 1931–1935 | 24th | Waitomo | United | ||
| 1935–1936 | 25th | Waitomo | United | ||
| 1936–1938 | Changed allegiance to: | National | |||
| 1938–1943 | 26th | Waitomo | National | ||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Waitomo | National | ||
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Waitomo | National | ||
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Waitomo | National | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Waitomo | National | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Waitomo | National | ||
From 1923 to 1935, he was first deputy mayor and then mayor of Te Kuiti.[1] He was first elected to Parliament in the 1928 election as a member of the United Party, when he defeated Reform's John Rolleston in the Waitomo electorate.[4] On 23 April 1936, he became junior party whip during the United/Reform Coalition, just prior to the formation of the National Party resulting from the merger of the Reform and United Parties in mid-May. He became senior whip in 1941, and held that position until 1949, when he became Postmaster-General.[1][5]
In 1942, he was Minister of National Service in the short-lived War Administration.[6] In the First National Government, he was Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs (1949–1954).[7] He retired from Parliament in 1954.[8]
In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[9] In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[10] In 1955, Broadfoot was granted the use of the title of "Honourable" for life, having served more than three years as a member of the Executive Council.[11] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1955 Queen's Birthday Honours,[12] and died in 1965.[8]
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