Tom Shand: Difference between revisions
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'''Thomas Philip (Tom) Shand''' (1911 – 11 December 1969) was a [[New Zealand]] politician of the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]]. |
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{{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} |
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{{Infobox officeholder |
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|honorific-prefix = [[The Honourable]] |
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|name = Tom Shand |
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|image = Tom Shand.jpg |
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|caption = |
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|order = 21st [[Minister of Labour (New Zealand)|Minister of Labour]] |
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|term_start = 12 December 1960 |
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|term_end = 11 December 1969 |
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|primeminister = [[Keith Holyoake]] |
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|predecessor = [[Fred Hackett]] |
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|successor = [[Jack Marshall]] |
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|order1 = 21st [[Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)|Minister of Immigration]] |
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He represented the [[Marlborough (New Zealand electorate)|Marlborough]] electorate from [[New Zealand general election, 1946|1946]] to 1969, when he died. |
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|term_start1 = 12 December 1960 |
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|term_end1 = 11 December 1969 |
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|primeminister1 = [[Keith Holyoake]] |
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|predecessor1 = [[Fred Hackett]] |
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|successor1 = [[Jack Marshall]] |
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|order2 = 21st [[Minister of Mines (New Zealand)|Minister of Mines]] |
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He was a cabinet minister; Postmaster-General 1954–1957, Minister of Labour, Immigration and Mines 1960–1969, and Minister of Electricity 1963–1969. |
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|term_start2 = 12 December 1960 |
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|term_end2 = 11 December 1969 |
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|primeminister2 = [[Keith Holyoake]] |
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|predecessor2 = [[Fred Hackett]] |
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|successor2 = [[Norman Shelton]] |
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|order3 = 35th [[Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand#Ministers of Civil Aviation|Minister of Civil Aviation]] |
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|term_start3 = 26 November 1954 |
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|term_end3 = 12 December 1957 |
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|primeminister3 = [[Sidney Holland]]<br>[[Keith Holyoake]] |
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|predecessor3 = [[Tom Macdonald (politician)|Tom Macdonald]] |
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|successor3 = [[John Mathison]] |
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|order4 = 35th [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General<br>and Minister of Telegraphs]] |
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|term_start4 = 26 November 1954 |
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|term_end4 = 12 December 1957 |
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|primeminister4 = [[Sidney Holland]]<br>[[Keith Holyoake]] |
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|predecessor4 = [[Walter Broadfoot]] |
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|successor4 = [[Mick Moohan]] |
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|constituency_MP5 = [[Marlborough (New Zealand electorate)|Marlborough]] |
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|parliament5 = New Zealand |
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|term_start5 = 25 September 1943 |
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|term_end5 = 11 December 1969 |
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|predecessor5 = [[Ted Meachen]] |
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|successor5 = [[Ian Brooks]] |
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|birth_date = 16 April 1911 |
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|birth_place = [[Ngapara]], New Zealand |
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|death_date = 11 December 1969 |
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|death_place = [[Wellington]], New Zealand |
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|restingplace = |
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|profession = Farmer |
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|spouse = {{marriage|Claudia Lillian Weston|1937}} |
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|children = 4 |
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|relations = [[Claude Weston]] (father-in-law)<br/>{{nowrap|[[Agnes Weston (politician)|Agnes Weston]] (mother-in-law)}}<br/>[[Erich Geiringer]] (son-in-law) |
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|nationality = |
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|party = [[New Zealand National Party|National]] |
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|branch = [[File:Air Force Ensign of New Zealand.svg|20px|link=]] [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] |
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|serviceyears = 1943–45 |
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|rank = [[File:UK-Air-OF1B infobox.svg|15px]] [[Flying Officer]] |
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|unit = |
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|battles = [[World War II]] |
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}} |
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'''Thomas Philip Shand''' (16 April 1911 – 11 December 1969) was a New Zealand politician of the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]]. |
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==Biography== |
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===Early life and career=== |
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Shand was born in 1911 in [[Ngapara]], North Otago. His parents were Gilbert Esme Tressillian Shand and Constance Kippenberger, both of whom were from prominent Canterbury families, who owned and operated a farm of their own in Ngapara. In 1922 the family moved to [[Kaikōura]], establishing a new farm at Seaward Valley. He received his education at [[St Andrew's College, Christchurch|St Andrew's College]], [[Christ's College, Christchurch|Christ's College]], the [[University of Canterbury]].<ref name="DNZB Shand">{{DNZB|Templeton|Hugh|5s12|Shand, Thomas Philip|27 March 2014||Hugh Templeton}}</ref> |
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His studies were cut short by the onset of the [[Great Depression]] and he returned home to work as a shepherd on the family farm from 1931 to 1933. He then worked freezing and flax industries from 1933 to 1935, taking an active role in trade union affairs. He was also an active sportsman, competing as a boxer while a student and also played sub-union rugby in Canterbury.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> On 8 February 1937 he married the medical doctor Claudia Lillian Weston. Her father, [[Claude Weston]], was the second president of the National Party.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> Her mother, [[Agnes Weston (politician)|Agnes Weston]], would later be called to the [[New Zealand Legislative Council]] as part of the [[Suicide squad (New Zealand)|suicide squad]].<ref>{{cite book |title=Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 |last=Traue |first=James Edward |author-link= Jim Traue |year=1978 |edition=11th |publisher=[[Reed Publishing]] |location=Wellington |page=300}}</ref> In 1942 he finally completed his bachelor's degree in commerce.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=341}} |
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The same year he completed his degree Shand volunteered for the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] and began flight training. He was gazetted as a pilot in January 1943 and in June that year he was promoted to Flying Officer. Between April 1944 and February 1945 he flew Hudson bombers and Catalina flying boats in the South Pacific campaign out of Fiji, Funafuti and Emirau. In 1945 he developed a hearing defect which resulted in him being placed on the reserve until [[World War II]] ended due to high-tone deafness.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> |
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Shand returned to his family farm and proceeded to take a course at [[Canterbury Agricultural College]] in farm management.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> |
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===Political career=== |
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{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1946}} |
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|end = 1949 |
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|term = 28th |
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|electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Marlborough}} |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1949}} |
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|end = 1951 |
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|term = 29th |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1951}} |
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|end = 1954 |
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|term = 30th |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1954}} |
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|end = 1957 |
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|term = 31st |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1957}} |
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|end = 1960 |
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|term = 32nd |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1960}} |
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|end = 1963 |
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|term = 33rd |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1963}} |
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|end = 1966 |
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|term = 34th |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1966}} |
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|end = 1969 |
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|term = 35th |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox |
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|start = {{NZ election link year|1969}} |
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|end = <!-- we don't show the end year if it's the same as the start year --> |
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|term = 36th |
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|electorate = Marlborough |
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|party = New Zealand National Party |
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}} |
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{{NZ parlbox footer}} |
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He first stood for Parliament in {{NZ election link year|1943}} against the incumbent Labour representative in the [[Marlborough (New Zealand electorate)|Marlborough electorate]], [[Ted Meachen]], and was unsuccessful.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=341}} At the next election in {{NZ election link year|1946}}, he was successful and held the Marlborough electorate until his death in 1969.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=233}} Shand quickly became known in Parliament for his "fiery robustness" and became known as a passionate yet outspoken debater.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> He gained notoriety in 1947 when he tore up the pages of his copy of the Labour government's budget, though it was subsequently revealed he had cut most of the way through it with scissors beforehand.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=90}} |
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He was a cabinet minister in the [[First National Government of New Zealand|First National Government]] as [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General]], Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister for Rehabilitation from 1954 to 1957.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|pp=87-8}} He oversaw the expansion of [[Wellington International Airport]] and was also made extra land provisions for returned servicemen, based on his own experience as a rehabilitated farmer he was supportive of them becoming farmers.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> On one noted occasion Shand lost an argument in cabinet. Impetuously he said "Well gentlemen, if that's the way you feel about it, I'm getting out" as he left his chair, to which Prime Minister [[Sidney Holland]] retorted "Mr. Shand, if you go through that door you won't be coming back again" prompting Shand to hurriedly resume his seat.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=62}} His elevation to cabinet was owed more to a desire by party leaders to pacify him, thinking it was easier to control the otherwise individualistic Shand if he was in cabinet (and thus bound by [[cabinet collective responsibility]]).{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=89}} |
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From 1957 to 1960, National was in opposition and Shand was designated National's spokesperson for Civil Aviation by party leader [[Keith Holyoake]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=National Party Caucus |date=21 March 1958 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |page=12 }}</ref> |
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During the [[Second National Government of New Zealand|Second National Government]] he was [[Minister of Labour (New Zealand)|Minister of Labour]] (1960–1969), [[Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)|Minister of Immigration]] (1960–1969), and [[Minister of Mines (New Zealand)|Minister of Mines]] (1960–1969), and [[Minister of Electricity (New Zealand)|Minister of Electricity]] (1963–1969).{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=89}} Prime Minister Keith Holyoake allotted him fifth place in his cabinet in recognition of Shand's strong performance critiquing the [[Second Labour Government of New Zealand|Second Labour Government]] from 1957 to 1960. Shand was also appointed chairman the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration where he played a major role in reorganising government administration by legislating the [[State Services Commission#State Services Act 1962|State Services Act, 1962]].<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> |
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Shand's most prominent role was as [[Minister of Labour (New Zealand)|Minister of Labour]]. He always made a point of knowing what went on at the location of a workplace dispute and built good working relationships with the trade union leaders at the [[New Zealand Federation of Labour]] (FOL), earning their trust and admiration for his directness and courage. He perpetually emphasised the importance of workplace productivity and developed an active interest in a whole range of workforce related issues. He oversaw the investigation and verdict of the Woodhouse Report in 1966, chaired by [[Owen Woodhouse]], which proposed a radical "no-fault" accident compensation system (which later became the [[Accident Compensation Corporation]]). He broke ranks with the rest of cabinet in 1968 and joined the FOL in its opposition to the "nil wage order", however cabinet voted for it anyway to ensure an end to the practice of wage fixing by the [[Employment Court of New Zealand|Court of Arbitration]].<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> Shand had a predilection for "buying" industrial peace by accommodating (partially at least) higher wage demands which often caused problems for other ministers as it caused inflation and higher taxation.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=90}} |
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Shand lobbied Holyoake for the role of [[Minister of Finance (New Zealand)|Minister of Finance]] following the death of [[Harry Lake]] in 1967. Ultimately he was passed over for the position in favour of [[Robert Muldoon]], a junior minister. The rumored cause of this was a reported disagreement between Shand and Holyoake over the government's economic policies which also resulted in Shand relinquishing the chairmanship of the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=100}} Shand congratulated Muldoon, the only minister to do so on an individual basis, and promised to support him so long as he stuck to traditional conservative financial policies.{{sfn|Gustafson|2002|p=91}} This was not to be the case and the two developed a rivalry with each other in the cabinet. This was despite the two being similar personalities, both being forthright, individualistic and having the habit of taking decisions beyond the cabinet into the public arena.{{sfn|Gustafson|2002|p=100}} |
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Shand was one of the first politicians in New Zealand to grasp the significance that Britain's membership of the [[European Economic Community]] would have for New Zealand. He likewise understood the importance of international investment and became an early advocate for New Zealand joining the [[International Monetary Fund]] and the [[World Bank]].<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> |
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Shand was seen as a likely successor to Holyoake as National Party leader following his 20 years in Parliament, 12 of them as an energetic and effective minister. Such an outcome was unable to come to fruition following the onset of lung cancer for Shand in early 1969 when speculation surrounding Holyoake's retirement was increasing.<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> |
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===Death=== |
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Shand had been a smoker all his life and was seldom seen without his pipe in his mouth. Just after the 1969 election campaign had begun he was hospitalised. Shand died as a result of lung cancer on 11 December 1969,{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=341}}<ref name="DNZB Shand"/> just twelve days after being re-elected in [[1969 New Zealand general election|that year's general election]]. |
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In the {{By-election link|Marlborough|1970}}, his son Anthony Shand stood as the National candidate to replace him, but was defeated in the greatest swing against a government since the [[1935 New Zealand general election|1935 general election]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour wins Marlborough By-election |work=[[The Dominion (Wellington)|The Dominion]] |page=3 |date=23 February 1970 }}</ref> His daughter, [[Carol Shand|Dr Carol Shand]], had married the physician [[Erich Geiringer]] in 1964.<ref>{{cite news |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-dr-erich-geiringer-1600029.html |title=Obituary : Dr Erich Geiringer|first=Fritz |last=Spiegl|date=7 September 1995|work=[[The Independent]]}} {{Registration required}}</ref> |
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Shand's premature death eliminated him as a potential successor to the party leadership which may have delayed Holyoake's retirement. Ironically National's shock defeat at the Marlborough by-election was one of the major factors in inducing Holyoake's eventual retirement in February 1972.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|pp=104-5}} |
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==Notes== |
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{{Reflist}} |
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==References== |
==References== |
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{{commons category}} |
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*''New Zealand Parliamentary Record 1840-1984'' by J. O. Wilson (1985, 4th edition, Government Printer, Wellington) |
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* |
*{{cite book |last = Gustafson |first = Barry |author-link = Barry Gustafson |title = The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party |year = 1986 |publisher = Reed Methuen |location = Auckland |isbn = 0-474-00177-6}} |
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*{{cite book |last=Gustafson |first=Barry |author-link=Barry Gustafson |title=His Way: A Biography of Robert Muldoon |year=2002 |publisher=Auckland University Press |location=Auckland |isbn=978-1-86940-236-5 }} |
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*{{Cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}} |
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{{S-start}} |
{{S-start}} |
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{{s-off}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Fred Hackett]]|rows=3}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Labour (New Zealand)|Minister of Labour]]|years=1960–1969}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Jack Marshall]]|rows=2}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Immigration (New Zealand)|Minister of Immigration]]|years=1960–1969}} |
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|- |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Minister of Mines (New Zealand)|Minister of Mines]]|years=1960–1969}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Norman Shelton]]}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Tom Macdonald (politician)|Tom Macdonald]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand#Ministers of Civil Aviation|Minister of Civil Aviation]]|years=1954–1957}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[John Mathison]]}} |
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{{s-bef | before = [[Walter Broadfoot]]}} |
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{{s-ttl | title = [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General<br>and Minister of Telegraphs]]|years=1954–1957}} |
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{{s-aft | after = [[Mick Moohan]]}} |
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|- |
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{{S-par | nz}} |
{{S-par | nz}} |
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{{S-bef | before = [[ |
{{S-bef | before = [[Ted Meachen]]}} |
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{{S-ttl | title = [[Marlborough (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Marlborough]]|years=1946–1969 |
{{S-ttl | title = [[Marlborough (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Marlborough]]|years=1946–1969}} |
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{{S-aft | after = [[Ian |
{{S-aft | after = [[Ian Brooks]]}} |
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{{end}} |
{{end}} |
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{{Authority control}} |
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{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]]. --> |
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| NAME = Shand, Tom |
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| ALTERNATIVE NAMES = |
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| SHORT DESCRIPTION = New Zealand politician |
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| DATE OF BIRTH = 1911 |
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| PLACE OF BIRTH = |
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| DATE OF DEATH = 11 December 1969 |
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| PLACE OF DEATH = |
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}} |
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Shand, Tom}} |
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shand, Tom}} |
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[[Category:1911 births]] |
[[Category:1911 births]] |
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[[Category:1969 deaths]] |
[[Category:1969 deaths]] |
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[[Category:People from Otago]] |
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[[Category:People educated at St Andrew's College, Christchurch]] |
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[[Category:People educated at Christ's College, Christchurch]] |
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[[Category:University of Canterbury alumni]] |
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[[Category:Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel]] |
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[[Category:New Zealand military personnel of World War II]] |
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[[Category:New Zealand National Party MPs]] |
[[Category:New Zealand National Party MPs]] |
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[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand]] |
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand]] |
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[[Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]] |
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[[Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1943 New Zealand general election]] |
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[[Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates]] |
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{{NZNational-politician-stub}} |
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[[Category:Deaths from lung cancer in New Zealand]] |
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[[Category:Weston family (New Zealand)]] |
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Latest revision as of 12:12, 12 February 2024
Tom Shand | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 21st Minister of Labour | |
| In office 12 December 1960 – 11 December 1969 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Fred Hackett |
| Succeeded by | Jack Marshall |
| 21st Minister of Immigration | |
| In office 12 December 1960 – 11 December 1969 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Fred Hackett |
| Succeeded by | Jack Marshall |
| 21st Minister of Mines | |
| In office 12 December 1960 – 11 December 1969 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Fred Hackett |
| Succeeded by | Norman Shelton |
| 35th Minister of Civil Aviation | |
| In office 26 November 1954 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Tom Macdonald |
| Succeeded by | John Mathison |
| 35th Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs | |
| In office 26 November 1954 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Walter Broadfoot |
| Succeeded by | Mick Moohan |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Marlborough | |
| In office 25 September 1943 – 11 December 1969 | |
| Preceded by | Ted Meachen |
| Succeeded by | Ian Brooks |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 16 April 1911 Ngapara, New Zealand |
| Died | 11 December 1969 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse |
Claudia Lillian Weston
(m. 1937) |
| Relations | Claude Weston (father-in-law) Agnes Weston (mother-in-law) Erich Geiringer (son-in-law) |
| Children | 4 |
| Profession | Farmer |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service |  Royal New Zealand Air Force |
| Years of service | 1943–45 |
| Rank |  Flying Officer |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Thomas Philip Shand (16 April 1911 – 11 December 1969) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.
Biography
[edit]Early life and career
[edit]Shand was born in 1911 in Ngapara, North Otago. His parents were Gilbert Esme Tressillian Shand and Constance Kippenberger, both of whom were from prominent Canterbury families, who owned and operated a farm of their own in Ngapara. In 1922 the family moved to Kaikōura, establishing a new farm at Seaward Valley. He received his education at St Andrew's College, Christ's College, the University of Canterbury.[1]
His studies were cut short by the onset of the Great Depression and he returned home to work as a shepherd on the family farm from 1931 to 1933. He then worked freezing and flax industries from 1933 to 1935, taking an active role in trade union affairs. He was also an active sportsman, competing as a boxer while a student and also played sub-union rugby in Canterbury.[1] On 8 February 1937 he married the medical doctor Claudia Lillian Weston. Her father, Claude Weston, was the second president of the National Party.[1] Her mother, Agnes Weston, would later be called to the New Zealand Legislative Council as part of the suicide squad.[2] In 1942 he finally completed his bachelor's degree in commerce.[3]
The same year he completed his degree Shand volunteered for the Royal New Zealand Air Force and began flight training. He was gazetted as a pilot in January 1943 and in June that year he was promoted to Flying Officer. Between April 1944 and February 1945 he flew Hudson bombers and Catalina flying boats in the South Pacific campaign out of Fiji, Funafuti and Emirau. In 1945 he developed a hearing defect which resulted in him being placed on the reserve until World War II ended due to high-tone deafness.[1]
Shand returned to his family farm and proceeded to take a course at Canterbury Agricultural College in farm management.[1]
Political career
[edit]| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1954–1957 | 31st | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1957–1960 | 32nd | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1960–1963 | 33rd | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1963–1966 | 34th | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1966–1969 | 35th | Marlborough | National | ||
| 1969 | 36th | Marlborough | National | ||
He first stood for Parliament in 1943 against the incumbent Labour representative in the Marlborough electorate, Ted Meachen, and was unsuccessful.[3] At the next election in 1946, he was successful and held the Marlborough electorate until his death in 1969.[4] Shand quickly became known in Parliament for his "fiery robustness" and became known as a passionate yet outspoken debater.[1] He gained notoriety in 1947 when he tore up the pages of his copy of the Labour government's budget, though it was subsequently revealed he had cut most of the way through it with scissors beforehand.[5]
He was a cabinet minister in the First National Government as Postmaster-General, Minister of Civil Aviation and Minister for Rehabilitation from 1954 to 1957.[6] He oversaw the expansion of Wellington International Airport and was also made extra land provisions for returned servicemen, based on his own experience as a rehabilitated farmer he was supportive of them becoming farmers.[1] On one noted occasion Shand lost an argument in cabinet. Impetuously he said "Well gentlemen, if that's the way you feel about it, I'm getting out" as he left his chair, to which Prime Minister Sidney Holland retorted "Mr. Shand, if you go through that door you won't be coming back again" prompting Shand to hurriedly resume his seat.[7] His elevation to cabinet was owed more to a desire by party leaders to pacify him, thinking it was easier to control the otherwise individualistic Shand if he was in cabinet (and thus bound by cabinet collective responsibility).[8]
From 1957 to 1960, National was in opposition and Shand was designated National's spokesperson for Civil Aviation by party leader Keith Holyoake.[9]
During the Second National Government he was Minister of Labour (1960–1969), Minister of Immigration (1960–1969), and Minister of Mines (1960–1969), and Minister of Electricity (1963–1969).[10] Prime Minister Keith Holyoake allotted him fifth place in his cabinet in recognition of Shand's strong performance critiquing the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960. Shand was also appointed chairman the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration where he played a major role in reorganising government administration by legislating the State Services Act, 1962.[1]
Shand's most prominent role was as Minister of Labour. He always made a point of knowing what went on at the location of a workplace dispute and built good working relationships with the trade union leaders at the New Zealand Federation of Labour (FOL), earning their trust and admiration for his directness and courage. He perpetually emphasised the importance of workplace productivity and developed an active interest in a whole range of workforce related issues. He oversaw the investigation and verdict of the Woodhouse Report in 1966, chaired by Owen Woodhouse, which proposed a radical "no-fault" accident compensation system (which later became the Accident Compensation Corporation). He broke ranks with the rest of cabinet in 1968 and joined the FOL in its opposition to the "nil wage order", however cabinet voted for it anyway to ensure an end to the practice of wage fixing by the Court of Arbitration.[1] Shand had a predilection for "buying" industrial peace by accommodating (partially at least) higher wage demands which often caused problems for other ministers as it caused inflation and higher taxation.[5]
Shand lobbied Holyoake for the role of Minister of Finance following the death of Harry Lake in 1967. Ultimately he was passed over for the position in favour of Robert Muldoon, a junior minister. The rumored cause of this was a reported disagreement between Shand and Holyoake over the government's economic policies which also resulted in Shand relinquishing the chairmanship of the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration.[11] Shand congratulated Muldoon, the only minister to do so on an individual basis, and promised to support him so long as he stuck to traditional conservative financial policies.[12] This was not to be the case and the two developed a rivalry with each other in the cabinet. This was despite the two being similar personalities, both being forthright, individualistic and having the habit of taking decisions beyond the cabinet into the public arena.[13]
Shand was one of the first politicians in New Zealand to grasp the significance that Britain's membership of the European Economic Community would have for New Zealand. He likewise understood the importance of international investment and became an early advocate for New Zealand joining the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.[1]
Shand was seen as a likely successor to Holyoake as National Party leader following his 20 years in Parliament, 12 of them as an energetic and effective minister. Such an outcome was unable to come to fruition following the onset of lung cancer for Shand in early 1969 when speculation surrounding Holyoake's retirement was increasing.[1]
Death
[edit]Shand had been a smoker all his life and was seldom seen without his pipe in his mouth. Just after the 1969 election campaign had begun he was hospitalised. Shand died as a result of lung cancer on 11 December 1969,[3][1] just twelve days after being re-elected in that year's general election.
In the 1970 by-election, his son Anthony Shand stood as the National candidate to replace him, but was defeated in the greatest swing against a government since the 1935 general election.[14] His daughter, Dr Carol Shand, had married the physician Erich Geiringer in 1964.[15]
Shand's premature death eliminated him as a potential successor to the party leadership which may have delayed Holyoake's retirement. Ironically National's shock defeat at the Marlborough by-election was one of the major factors in inducing Holyoake's eventual retirement in February 1972.[16]
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Templeton, Hugh. "Shand, Thomas Philip". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 27 March 2014.
- ^ Traue, James Edward (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed Publishing. p. 300.
- ^ a b c Gustafson 1986, p. 341.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 233.
- ^ a b Gustafson 1986, p. 90.
- ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 87–8.
- ^ Gustafson 1986, p. 62.
- ^ Gustafson 1986, p. 89.
- ^ "National Party Caucus". The New Zealand Herald. 21 March 1958. p. 12.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 89.
- ^ Gustafson 1986, p. 100.
- ^ Gustafson 2002, p. 91.
- ^ Gustafson 2002, p. 100.
- ^ "Labour wins Marlborough By-election". The Dominion. 23 February 1970. p. 3.
- ^ Spiegl, Fritz (7 September 1995). "Obituary : Dr Erich Geiringer". The Independent. (registration required)
- ^ Gustafson 1986, pp. 104–5.
References
[edit]
- Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
- Gustafson, Barry (2002). His Way: A Biography of Robert Muldoon. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 978-1-86940-236-5.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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