Keith Hay
Encyclopedia
Keith Wilson Hay, CBE
, (13 December 1917 – 2 January 1997) was a New Zealand
homebuilder, entrepreneur, local body politician and conservative Christian political activist.
Born in Hastings
, Hay was the only son of Scottish immigrant William Hay and Elsie Major, who had married three years previously. In 1930, Hay left school at standard six to split fenceposts for a retired headmaster at Kohukohu, who taught the young man accountancy during the evenings. In 1933, Hay relocated to Auckland
and obtained a job at the KDV Morningside box factory. In 1938, he tried to start his own caravan business, but later found that he was more talented at home building.
In 1942, Hay married Enid Paris in Mount Eden
, having joined the New Zealand Army Service Corps in 1941. Although he was initially involved in the Mount Eden branch of the New Zealand Labour Party
, he unsuccessfully stood as candidate for breakaway Labour MP John A. Lee
and his Democratic Labour Party
at the 1943 New Zealand general election
.
During his time at the Army Service Corps, Hay pioneered a number of innovative home building and relocation procedures, and these were to stand him in good stead in civilian life when he started Keith Hay homes in 1949. In 1953, he moved his company to Mount Roskill.
Committee. As a civic leader, he was honoured with an OBE in 1966, and a CBE in 1977.
In 1969, Hay helped to organise a nationwide New Zealand Billy Graham
Crusade. 1972, he was a principal organiser for the Marches for Jesus that year, which involved an estimated 70,000 people. He then became involved in bitter controversy when he opposed passage of New Zealand's Homosexual Law Reform Act
1986, and earned the enmity of New Zealand's lesbian and gay communities. He established the Coalition of Concerned Citizens
along with Sir Peter Tait in 1986, but that organisation failed to achieve its objective of curtailing passage of that legislation. Thereafter, Hay became more reticent, retiring from local body politics and devoting himself to civic charity work.
In 1997, Hay died at Auckland Public Hospital, aged seventy-nine. His son, David Hay, later became Auckland City Deputy Mayor under Mayor Les Mills
, and was also noted for his opposition to the gay pride movement, attacking Auckland's lesbian and gay Hero Parade in the mid-nineties. Today, David Hay's former home houses the Maxim Institute
's office.
There is a park and sports field area in Mt Roskill named after him.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, (13 December 1917 – 2 January 1997) was a New Zealand
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...
homebuilder, entrepreneur, local body politician and conservative Christian political activist.
Born in Hastings
Hastings, New Zealand
The city of Hastings is a major urban settlement in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, and it is the largest settlement by population in Hawke's Bay. Hastings city is the administrative centre of the Hastings District...
, Hay was the only son of Scottish immigrant William Hay and Elsie Major, who had married three years previously. In 1930, Hay left school at standard six to split fenceposts for a retired headmaster at Kohukohu, who taught the young man accountancy during the evenings. In 1933, Hay relocated to Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
and obtained a job at the KDV Morningside box factory. In 1938, he tried to start his own caravan business, but later found that he was more talented at home building.
In 1942, Hay married Enid Paris in Mount Eden
Mount Eden
Mount Eden is the name of a cinder cone and surrounding suburb in Auckland City, New Zealand, situated five kilometres south of the city centre. The mountain is the highest natural point in the whole of Auckland...
, having joined the New Zealand Army Service Corps in 1941. Although he was initially involved in the Mount Eden branch of the New Zealand Labour Party
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....
, he unsuccessfully stood as candidate for breakaway Labour MP John A. Lee
John A. Lee
John Alfred Alexander Lee DCM was a New Zealand politician and writer. He is one of the more prominent avowed socialists in New Zealand's political history.-Early life:...
and his Democratic Labour Party
Democratic Labour Party (New Zealand)
The Democratic Labour Party was a left-wing political party in New Zealand in the 1940s. It was a splinter from the larger Labour Party, and was led by the prominent socialist John A. Lee.-Party history:...
at the 1943 New Zealand general election
New Zealand general election, 1943
The 1943 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 27th term. With the onset of World War II, elections were initially postponed, but it was eventually decided to hold a general election in September 1943, around two years after it...
.
During his time at the Army Service Corps, Hay pioneered a number of innovative home building and relocation procedures, and these were to stand him in good stead in civilian life when he started Keith Hay homes in 1949. In 1953, he moved his company to Mount Roskill.
Local Body Politics: 1950-1992
At the same time as he relocated his company to Mount Roskill, Hay entered local body politics in that semi-rural borough, becoming first a borough councillor (1950) and then Mayor of Roskill Borough (1953–1974). As Mayor, he sold council plant, contracted out services and constructed amenities. After his retirement as Roskill Mayor, Hay was then elected to the Auckland Regional Council, and also served on the Auckland International AirportAuckland International Airport
Auckland Airport is the largest and busiest airport in New Zealand with over 13 million passengers a year, expected to more than double by 2025...
Committee. As a civic leader, he was honoured with an OBE in 1966, and a CBE in 1977.
Political Activism: 1972-1987
Hay was a devout Protestant Christian. As Mount Roskill mayor, he always started his meetings with a prayer service and was responsible for Mount Roskill's status as Auckland's "Bible Belt." By 1988, it was estimated that there were twenty-six churches for the borough's 35,000 inhabitants.In 1969, Hay helped to organise a nationwide New Zealand Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
Crusade. 1972, he was a principal organiser for the Marches for Jesus that year, which involved an estimated 70,000 people. He then became involved in bitter controversy when he opposed passage of New Zealand's Homosexual Law Reform Act
Homosexual Law Reform Act
The New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Act 1986 is a law that legalised consensual sex between men aged 16 and older. It removed the provisions of the Crimes Act 1961 that criminalised this behaviour.-Background:...
1986, and earned the enmity of New Zealand's lesbian and gay communities. He established the Coalition of Concerned Citizens
Coalition of Concerned Citizens
The Coalition of Concerned Citizens was a New Zealand Christian conservative pressure group, and one of several attempts to form pro-censorship, anti-abortion, anti-gay and sex education opponents into a comprehensive social conservative political coalition...
along with Sir Peter Tait in 1986, but that organisation failed to achieve its objective of curtailing passage of that legislation. Thereafter, Hay became more reticent, retiring from local body politics and devoting himself to civic charity work.
In 1997, Hay died at Auckland Public Hospital, aged seventy-nine. His son, David Hay, later became Auckland City Deputy Mayor under Mayor Les Mills
Les Mills
Leslie Roy Mills CNZM, MBE, is a retired New Zealand athlete, who represented New Zealand at Olympic Games and Commonwealth Games over two decades. He competed in shot put, discus and weightlifting events...
, and was also noted for his opposition to the gay pride movement, attacking Auckland's lesbian and gay Hero Parade in the mid-nineties. Today, David Hay's former home houses the Maxim Institute
Maxim Institute
The Maxim Institute is a research and public policy think tank based in Auckland, New Zealand. The Institute's work is oriented toward a conservative perspective on its issues of primary concern, which are now education policy, tax and welfare policy...
's office.
There is a park and sports field area in Mt Roskill named after him.