Ben Couch
Encyclopedia
Manuera Benjamin Riwai Couch or, as he was generally known, Ben Couch (27 June 1925 – 3 June 1996), was a New Zealand
politician and rugby union
player and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a member of the All Blacks and the New Zealand Māori rugby union team
in the 1940s.
and he grew up on Banks Peninsula
. Couch's parents were Methodists but he was largely raised by his grandmother who belong to the Salvation Army
. He attended Christchurch Technical School. He married Bessie, his childhood sweetheart who was a member of the LDS Church. Couch was in the Royal New Zealand Airforce at the end of World War II but was never sent into battle. At the age of 24 Couch joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He moved to the Wairarapa
in the mid 1940s.
, he was elected to Parliament as the National Party
MP
for the Wairarapa electorate
, thus becoming (with Rex Austin
) only the second and third Māori (after Sir James Carroll
) to win a general electorate (as opposed to a Māori electorate).
He served as Minister of Māori Affairs
and Minister of Police in the third National Government
, but lost his seat in 1984 to Labour
's Reg Boorman
. While Minister of Police, he called for the birch
to be introduced for violent offenders and allowed the police to use longer batons. He created some controversy by wearing a Springbok rugby team
blazer at the time of their 1981 tour of New Zealand as well as attending a public meeting organised by the League of Rights. This despite his having been denied entry to South Africa as part of the All Blacks rugby team in the 1940s because of his race.
In the 1990s he was involved in various Māori organisations.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was a member of the All Blacks and the New Zealand Māori rugby union team
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
in the 1940s.
Early life
Couch was born in 1925 in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
and he grew up on Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
. Couch's parents were Methodists but he was largely raised by his grandmother who belong to the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
. He attended Christchurch Technical School. He married Bessie, his childhood sweetheart who was a member of the LDS Church. Couch was in the Royal New Zealand Airforce at the end of World War II but was never sent into battle. At the age of 24 Couch joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He moved to the Wairarapa
Wairarapa
Wairarapa is a geographical region of New Zealand. It occupies the south-eastern corner of the North Island, east of metropolitan Wellington and south-west of the Hawke's Bay region. It is lightly populated, having several rural service towns, with Masterton being the largest...
in the mid 1940s.
Rugby Union
Couch played seven games for the All Blacks in the late 1940s. He played 20 matches for the Māori rugby union team between 1948 and 1950.Political career
In the 1975 general electionNew Zealand general election, 1975
The 1975 New Zealand general election was held to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. It was the first election in New Zealand where 18-20 year olds and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be...
, he was elected to Parliament as the National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Wairarapa electorate
Wairarapa (New Zealand electorate)
Wairarapa is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It was first created in 1859 and existed until 1881. It was recreated in 1887 and has since existed continuously...
, thus becoming (with Rex Austin
Rex Austin
William Rex Austin, known as Rex Austin, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.In the 1975 election he was elected to Parliament as the National Party MP for Awarua, which he represented until 1987....
) only the second and third Māori (after Sir James Carroll
James Carroll (New Zealand politician)
Sir James Carroll, KCMG , known to Māori as Timi Kara, was a New Zealand politician of Irish and Ngati Kahungunu descent. Beginning his career as an interpreter and land agent, Carroll was elected to the Eastern Maori seat in 1887. He was Colonial Secretary from 1895...
) to win a general electorate (as opposed to a Māori electorate).
He served as Minister of Māori Affairs
Minister of Maori Affairs
The Minister of Māori Affairs is the minister of the New Zealand government with broad responsibility for government policy towards Māori, the first inhabitants of New Zealand. The current Minister of Māori Affairs is Dr. Pita Sharples.-Role:...
and Minister of Police in the third National Government
Third National Government of New Zealand
The Third National Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1975 to 1984. It was an economically and socially conservative government, which aimed to preserve the Keynesian economic system established by the First Labour government while also being socially conservative...
, but lost his seat in 1984 to Labour
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
's Reg Boorman
Reg Boorman
Reginald George Boorman was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He won the Wairarapa seat in 1984, when he defeated Ben Couch...
. While Minister of Police, he called for the birch
Birching
Birching is a corporal punishment with a birch rod, typically applied to the recipient's bare buttocks, although occasionally to the back and/or shoulders.-Implement:...
to be introduced for violent offenders and allowed the police to use longer batons. He created some controversy by wearing a Springbok rugby team
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
blazer at the time of their 1981 tour of New Zealand as well as attending a public meeting organised by the League of Rights. This despite his having been denied entry to South Africa as part of the All Blacks rugby team in the 1940s because of his race.
In the 1990s he was involved in various Māori organisations.