Ralph Hanan
Ralph Hanan | |
---|---|
![]() Ralph Hanan, circa 1946 | |
17thMinister of Health | |
In office 26 November 1954 – 12 December 1957 | |
Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
Preceded by | Jack Marshall |
Succeeded by | Rex Mason |
20thAttorney-General | |
In office 12 December 1960 – 24 July 1969 | |
Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
Preceded by | Rex Mason |
Succeeded by | Jack Marshall |
33rdMinister of Justice | |
In office 12 December 1960 – 24 July 1969 | |
Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
Preceded by | Rex Mason |
Succeeded by | Dan Riddiford |
31stMinister of Maori Affairs | |
In office 12 December 1960 – 24 July 1969 | |
Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
Preceded by | Walter Nash |
Succeeded by | Duncan MacIntyre |
Member of theNew Zealand Parliament forInvercargill | |
In office 1946–1969 | |
Preceded by | William Denham |
Succeeded by | John Chewings |
33rdMayor of Invercargill | |
In office 1938–1941 | |
Preceded by | John Miller |
Succeeded by | John Robert Martin |
Personal details | |
Born | 13 June 1909 Invercargill,New Zealand |
Died | 24 July 1969 Cairns,Australia | (aged 60)
Resting place | Saint Johns Cemetery, Invercargill |
Political party | National |
Relations |
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Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | New Zealand Army |
Years of service | 1941–1944 |
Rank | Captain |
Unit | 20th Battalion |
Battles/wars | World War II •Italian Campaign •First Battle of El Alamein |
Josiah Ralph Hanan(13 June 1909 – 24 July 1969), known asRalph Hanan,was a New Zealand politician of theNational Party.He wasMayor of Invercargilland then represented theInvercargillelectorate in Parliament, following in his uncleJosiah Hanan's footsteps. He served in World War II and his injuries ultimately caused his death at age 60. He is best remembered for the abolition of the death penalty, which had been suspended by theLabour Party,but which National was to reintroduce. AsMinister of Justice,it was Hanan's role to introduce the legislation to Parliament, but he convinced enough of his party colleagues to vote with the opposition and thus abolished the death penalty in New Zealand.
Early life
[edit]Hanan was born in 1909 inInvercargill.[1]He was the son of the draper James Albert Hanan and his wife, Johanna Mary McGill. His uncle and aunt wereJosiahandSusanna Hanan.[2]He received his education fromSouthland Boys' High School,Waitaki Boys' High School,and theUniversity of Otago,from where he obtained anLLB.[1]He returned to Invercargill and practised law from 1935.[1]In 1939, he went into partnership with Ian Arthur, practising as Hanan Arthur and Company. In 1940, he enlisted for war service.[2]
On 3 March 1939, he married Ruby Eirene Anderson, known as Eirene, at Invercargill's St Paul's Presbyterian Church.[2]
Early political career
[edit]Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1946–1949 | 28th | Invercargill | National | ||
1949–1951 | 29th | Invercargill | National | ||
1951–1954 | 30th | Invercargill | National | ||
1954–1957 | 31st | Invercargill | National | ||
1957–1960 | 32nd | Invercargill | National | ||
1960–1963 | 33rd | Invercargill | National | ||
1963–1966 | 34th | Invercargill | National | ||
1966–1969 | 35th | Invercargill | National |
Hanan was elected to Invercargill City Council in 1935. Three years later, he was electedMayor of Invercargill.He relinquished the position in 1941 so that he could participate in the war.[2][3]His uncle had previously been Mayor of Invercargill (1896–1897).[4]
War service
[edit]He served with the20th Canterbury-Otago Battalionin the Middle East and in Italy. He was wounded at the outbreak ofMinquar Qaim.He would have died had it not been for a truck driver who found him unconscious, put him onto the back of the lorry and took him away.[5]The injuries resulted in a serious lung condition that saw him sent home in 1944 as an invalid.[1]He had attained the rank of captain during the war.[2]
Post-war political career
[edit]He represented theInvercargillelectorate in Parliament from1946to 1969, as had his uncle before him (1899–1925).[6]He held positions asMinister of Health(1954–1957), Minister of Immigration (1954–1957),[7]Attorney-General(1960–1969),Minister of Justice(1960–1969),Minister of Māori Affairs(1960–1969), andMinister of Island Territories(1963–1969).[8][9]
In 1961, Hanan and nine other National MPs (Ernest Aderman,Gordon Grieve,Duncan MacIntyre,Robert Muldoon,Lorrie Pickering,Logan Sloane,Brian Talboys,Esme TomblesonandBert Walker)crossed the floorand voted withLabourto abolish thedeath penaltyfor murder in New Zealand. As Minister of Justice, it was his responsibility to introduce the law to Parliament, but he did so by saying that he disagreed with it.[2]He convinced enough of his party colleagues to vote with the opposition and thus abolished the death penalty in New Zealand, which is what he is best remembered for.[5]
In much of his political work, Hanan was able to read the mood of the public well and he was guided by this. On many occasions, he developed policy that was initially not accepted by his party colleagues, but he managed to talk them round to it.[2]One controversial piece of legislation that he introduced was the Maori Affairs Amendment Act 1967, which was bitterly opposed by manyMāori,as they feared that it would lead to further loss of land.[10]Hanan was also an early supporter ofhomosexual law reform,writing to the New Zealand Homosexual Law Reform Society that he commended their goal of "replacing prejudice and emotion by understanding and a rational approach."[11]
Hanan belonged to the powerful inner circle of theHolyoakecabinet. When two of the inner circle, Hanan andTom Shand(Minister of Labour), died within months of one another, Holyoake's strong position was weakened.[12]
Death
[edit]Hanan died on 24 July 1969, aged 60, after attending the annual conference of state attorneys general inBrisbane.He died inCairns,Australia.[2]His relatively early death is linked to his war injuries.[5]He was buried at Invercargill's Saint Johns Cemetery.[13]An act was passed to avoid the need for aby-electionbefore thegeneral electionon 29 November, the 'By-election Postponement Act 1969'.[14]His wife survived him by almost four decades and died on 26 July 2007; she is buried next to him.[15]
Legacy
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/Hanan_airport_plaque.jpg/220px-Hanan_airport_plaque.jpg)
TheNiue International Airportis named after Hanan, having been constructed during his tenure as Minister of Island Affairs (1963–1969). It was officially opened by his wife on 23 November 1971. A small plaque at the airport records these details, while the sign outside the airport misspells his name as "Hannan".
References
[edit]- ^abcdGustafson 1986,p. 318.
- ^abcdefghBarton, G. P."Hanan, Josiah Ralph – Biography".Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^"Mayors down the years".Invercargill City Council. Archived fromthe originalon 3 June 2010.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^Lee, Gregory."Hanan, Josiah Alfred – Biography".Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.Ministry for Culture and Heritage.Retrieved31 July2012.
- ^abcBassett, Michael(17 September 2009)."Being a Liberal in New Zealand Politics".Archived fromthe originalon 16 September 2014.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^Wilson 1985,p. 202.
- ^Wilson 1985,pp. 87–88.
- ^Wilson 1985,p. 89.
- ^New Zealand Parliamentary Debates,Vols. 341–361 (1964–1969).
- ^"Ralph Hanan".Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 28 April 2009.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^Representatives, New Zealand Parliament House of (26 July 1975).Parliamentary Debates.
- ^"National Party – Consensus and division".Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand. 21 May 2012.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^"Cemetery search".Invercargill City Council.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^"By-elections Postponement Act 1969 (1969 No 35)".New Zealand Legal Information Institute.Retrieved1 August2012.
- ^"Cemetery search".Invercargill City Council.Retrieved1 August2012.
Sources
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Gustafson, Barry(1986).The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party.Auckland: Reed Methuen.ISBN0-474-00177-6.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913].New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984(4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer.OCLC154283103.
- 1909 births
- 1969 deaths
- New Zealand National Party MPs
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- Attorneys-general of New Zealand
- University of Otago alumni
- New Zealand Army officers
- Invercargill City Councillors
- Deputy mayors of Invercargill
- Mayors of Invercargill
- People educated at Southland Boys' High School
- Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
- New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates
- 20th-century New Zealand politicians
- Burials at St John's Cemetery, Invercargill
- New Zealand military personnel of World War II
- Justice ministers of New Zealand
- Health ministers of New Zealand