Rex Mason
Encyclopedia
Henry Greathead Rex Mason (3 June 1885 – 2 April 1975) was a New Zealand
politician. He served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice
, Minister of Education
, and Minister of Native Affairs
, and had a significant influence on the direction of the Labour Party
. He was one of New Zealand's longest-serving MPs.
, to a South Africa
n father and an Australia
n mother. He attended Wellington College
(where he was dux
) and Victoria University
, from which he graduated with MA
in mathematics and an LLB
. Moving to Pukekohe
, he became a lawyer
.
of Pukekohe in 1915. He was left-wing in his political outlook, and joined the Labour Party
on its foundation in 1916. In the 1919 general election, he was Labour's candidate for the seat of Manukau
, but was defeated. Later, he shifted his attention to the seat of Eden
— he contested it in the 1922 election
and 1925 election
. He finally won Eden in a 1926 by-election
, assisted by the fact that the Reform Party
's vote was split by a defeated nominee, Ellen Melville
.
Throughout his parliamentary career, Mason remained highly involved in the organisation of the Labour Party. He served as its president from 1931 to 1933, and played a major role in policy formulation. Mason was regarded as a social democrat rather than a socialist
, and he played a part in moving the Labour Party closer to the political centre. He did, however, believe that the state should have exclusive control over the country's financial system, influenced by social credit
monetary reform theories. Other causes supported by Mason include the establishment of a comprehensive old-age pension system and the granting of full state services to naturalised immigrants (the latter making him extremely popular with his electorate's substantial Yugoslavia
n community).
When Labour won the 1935 general election
, Mason became Attorney General and Minister of Justice
, reflecting his legal background. When disputes arose between the party leadership and John A. Lee
's more radical faction, Mason remained on good terms with both sides — while he sympathised with some of Lee's points, particularly regarding monetary reform, he did not join Lee's breakaway Democratic Labour Party
. Mason later served as Minister of Education
(where he worked closely with C.E. Beeby to implement educational reforms) and as Minister of Native Affairs
. In 1941 the Public Service Commissioner Thomas Mark
died in (or just outside) the minister's office, during an confrontation with Mason who wanted the resignation of the head of a department.
He was not returned to Cabinet after the 1946 election
, but returned to fill a vacancy the following year. After Labour lost office, he continued to agitate on a number of issues, notably decimal currency. After Labour won the 1957 election
, Mason returned to his original roles of Attorney General and Minister of Justice. He was also made Minister of Health
.
Rex Mason represented the seat of Eden
in the 22nd parliament (1926–28), Auckland Suburbs
in the 23rd to 27th parliaments (1928–46), Waitakere
in the 28th to 33rd parliaments (1946–63), and New Lynn
in the 34th parliament (1963–66).
Mason eventually retired from politics at the 1966 election
, under a certain amount of pressure from colleagues who wished to "rejuvenate" the Labour Party. Mason was now in his eighties, and was one of the longest serving New Zealand MPs ever, with a career of 40 years from 15 April 1926 to 25 October 1966.
n religion and spirituality, and beliefs derived from it (particularly Theosophy
). He was a vegetarian and a teetotaller.
Mason died in Wellington on 2 April 1975, aged 89.
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. He served as Attorney General, Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (New Zealand)
The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts....
, Minister of Education
Minister of Education (New Zealand)
The Minister of Education is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the country's schools, and is in charge of the Ministry of Education.The present Minister is Anne Tolley, a member of the National Party.-History:...
, and Minister of Native 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 had a significant influence on the direction of the 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 was one of New Zealand's longest-serving MPs.
Early life
Mason was born in WellingtonWellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, to a South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n father and an Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n mother. He attended Wellington College
Wellington College (New Zealand)
Wellington College is a state secondary school for boys in Mount Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand.-History:Wellington College opened in 1867 as Wellington Grammar School in Woodward Street, though Sir George Grey gave the school a deed of endowment in 1853. In 1874 it opened at its present...
(where he was dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
) and Victoria University
Victoria University of Wellington
Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1897 by Act of Parliament, and was a former constituent college of the University of New Zealand. It is particularly well known for its programmes in law, the humanities, and some scientific disciplines, but offers a broad range of other courses...
, from which he graduated with MA
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in mathematics and an LLB
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
. Moving to Pukekohe
Pukekohe
Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, it is approximately 50 kilometres south of Auckland City, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Pukekohe...
, he became a lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Political career
Mason was elected MayorMayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Pukekohe in 1915. He was left-wing in his political outlook, and joined the 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....
on its foundation in 1916. In the 1919 general election, he was Labour's candidate for the seat of Manukau
Manukau (New Zealand electorate)
Manukau is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate in the south Auckland Region. It existed from 1881 to 1978, with a break from 1938 to 1957. It was represented by nine Members of Parliament...
, but was defeated. Later, he shifted his attention to the seat of Eden
Eden (New Zealand electorate)
Eden is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in the city of Auckland.-Population Centres:The electorate is urban, and comprises a number of inner-city suburbs in the central-south part of Auckland.-History:...
— he contested it in the 1922 election
New Zealand general election, 1922
The New Zealand general election of 1922 was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament...
and 1925 election
New Zealand general election, 1925
The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
. He finally won Eden in a 1926 by-election
Eden by-election 1926
The Eden by-election of 1926 was a by-election for the Eden electorate during the 22nd New Zealand Parliament. The seat became vacant after the appointment of the sitting member, Christopher Parr of the Reform Party as High Commissioner to London. Parr resigned on 26 March.The by-election was held...
, assisted by the fact that the Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
's vote was split by a defeated nominee, Ellen Melville
Ellen Melville
Eliza Ellen Melville was a New Zealand feminist and politician.Melville was born in Tokatoka, on the Wairoa River south of Dargaville. Her father was a farmer and boatbuilder, while her mother was a former teacher...
.
Throughout his parliamentary career, Mason remained highly involved in the organisation of the Labour Party. He served as its president from 1931 to 1933, and played a major role in policy formulation. Mason was regarded as a social democrat rather than a socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
, and he played a part in moving the Labour Party closer to the political centre. He did, however, believe that the state should have exclusive control over the country's financial system, influenced by social credit
Social Credit
Social Credit is an economic philosophy developed by C. H. Douglas , a British engineer, who wrote a book by that name in 1924. Social Credit is described by Douglas as "the policy of a philosophy"; he called his philosophy "practical Christianity"...
monetary reform theories. Other causes supported by Mason include the establishment of a comprehensive old-age pension system and the granting of full state services to naturalised immigrants (the latter making him extremely popular with his electorate's substantial Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
n community).
When Labour won the 1935 general election
New Zealand general election, 1935
The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...
, Mason became Attorney General and Minister of Justice
Minister of Justice (New Zealand)
The Minister of Justice is a minister in the government of New Zealand. The minister has responsibility for the formulation of justice policy and for the administration of law courts....
, reflecting his legal background. When disputes arose between the party leadership and 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:...
's more radical faction, Mason remained on good terms with both sides — while he sympathised with some of Lee's points, particularly regarding monetary reform, he did not join Lee's breakaway 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:...
. Mason later served as Minister of Education
Minister of Education (New Zealand)
The Minister of Education is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the country's schools, and is in charge of the Ministry of Education.The present Minister is Anne Tolley, a member of the National Party.-History:...
(where he worked closely with C.E. Beeby to implement educational reforms) and as Minister of Native 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:...
. In 1941 the Public Service Commissioner Thomas Mark
Thomas Mark
Thomas Mark was the fourth Public Service Commissioner in New Zealand. He was a conservative in favour of a non-political public service. In 1936 the Labour government would have preferred John H. Boyes to Thomas Mark, the logical appointment as Public Service Commissioner, so appointed Boyes and...
died in (or just outside) the minister's office, during an confrontation with Mason who wanted the resignation of the head of a department.
He was not returned to Cabinet after the 1946 election
New Zealand general election, 1946
The 1946 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 28th term. It saw the governing Labour Party re-elected, but by a substantially narrower margin than in the three previous elections...
, but returned to fill a vacancy the following year. After Labour lost office, he continued to agitate on a number of issues, notably decimal currency. After Labour won the 1957 election
New Zealand general election, 1957
The 1957 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 32nd term. It saw the governing National Party narrowly defeated by the Labour Party...
, Mason returned to his original roles of Attorney General and Minister of Justice. He was also made Minister of Health
Minister of Health (New Zealand)
The Minister of Health is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand Ministry of Health and the District Health Boards.The present Minister is Tony Ryall, a member of the National Party.-History:...
.
Rex Mason represented the seat of Eden
Eden (New Zealand electorate)
Eden is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, in the city of Auckland.-Population Centres:The electorate is urban, and comprises a number of inner-city suburbs in the central-south part of Auckland.-History:...
in the 22nd parliament (1926–28), Auckland Suburbs
Auckland Suburbs (New Zealand electorate)
Auckland Suburbs was a parliamentary electorate in Auckland, New Zealand from 1928 to 1946.-History:The electorate was formed for the 1928 general election...
in the 23rd to 27th parliaments (1928–46), Waitakere
Waitakere (New Zealand electorate)
Waitakere is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Waitakere is Paula Bennett of the National Party. She has held this position since the 2008 election....
in the 28th to 33rd parliaments (1946–63), and New Lynn
New Lynn (New Zealand electorate)
New Lynn is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one member to the New Zealand House of Representatives. Its current representative is David Cunliffe, a member of the Labour Party. He has represented the seat since 2002. Cunliffe was the MP for Titirangi from 1999 to 2002...
in the 34th parliament (1963–66).
Mason eventually retired from politics at the 1966 election
New Zealand general election, 1966
The 1966 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 35th term. It saw the governing National Party win a third consecutive term in office...
, under a certain amount of pressure from colleagues who wished to "rejuvenate" the Labour Party. Mason was now in his eighties, and was one of the longest serving New Zealand MPs ever, with a career of 40 years from 15 April 1926 to 25 October 1966.
Personal affairs
Mason married Dulcia Martina Rockell on 27 December 1912, and had three children. Through his wife's influence, Mason become interested in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n religion and spirituality, and beliefs derived from it (particularly Theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
). He was a vegetarian and a teetotaller.
Mason died in Wellington on 2 April 1975, aged 89.