23 Facts About Mabel Howard

Mabel Bowden Howard was a well-known New Zealand trade unionist and politician.

Mabel Howard was the first woman secretary of a predominantly male union.

Mabel Howard was a Member of Parliament for the Labour Party from 1943 until 1969.

Mabel Howard is remembered for waving two large pairs of bloomers in Parliament in support of her successful campaign to have clothing sizes standardised.

Mabel Howard was born in Bowden, near Adelaide, Australia, on 18 April 1894.

Mabel Howard moved to New Zealand with her father and sisters after her mother, Harriet Garard Goring, died in 1903.

Mabel Howard entered the Trades Hall in 1911 as an office assistant for the Canterbury General Labourers' Union.

Mabel Howard served on the Christchurch Drainage Board and North Canterbury Hospital Board.

Mabel Howard's father, Ted Howard, was Member of Parliament for Christchurch South from 1919 until his death in 1939.

Mabel Howard hoped to be chosen to stand for the 1939 by-election after her father's death, and although she had local support, the Labour Party chose Christchurch mayor Robert Macfarlane.

In 1943, Mabel Howard was elected Member of Parliament for Christchurch East at a by-election, becoming the fifth female MP.

Mabel Howard retained the seat at the 1943 general election, becoming the first woman MP to be re-elected.

In 1946 Mabel Howard became the Member of Parliament for the new Sydenham electorate, winning 75.2 percent of the vote.

Mabel Howard's concern was for "women, the aged, the sick and the unfortunate".

Mabel Howard demonstrated that, although clothing was supposed to be in standard sizes and correctly labelled, much variation existed.

Mabel Howard became a Cabinet Minister only four years after entering Parliament.

Mabel Howard advocated for equal rights for women, especially equal pay, and campaigned on many issues including social security, the cost of living and housing.

Mabel Howard worked as a volunteer for many organisations, among them St John's Ambulance and the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Mabel Howard successfully fought to enact the first Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Bill in 1960 and was president of the Canterbury branch of the RNZSPCA for nearly twenty years.

Mabel Howard had helped his family in their hour of need and now he was helping her.

Mabel Howard retired from politics at the 1969 election, after a lifetime of service to her community.

The Labour Party had introduced a compulsory retirement age for MPs, which applied to Mabel Howard, who had already been showing signs of ageing.

Mabel Howard is buried with her father, Ted Howard, at Bromley Cemetery in Christchurch.