66 Facts About Peter Fraser

In 1916, Peter Fraser was involved in the foundation of the unified Labour Party.

Peter Fraser spent one year in jail for sedition after speaking out against conscription during the First World War.

In 1918, Peter Fraser won a Wellington by-election and entered the House of Representatives.

Peter Fraser became a cabinet minister in 1935, serving under Michael Joseph Savage.

Peter Fraser held several portfolios and had a particular interest in education, which he considered vital for social reform.

Peter Fraser became the Leader of the Labour Party and prime minister in 1940, following Savage's death in office.

Peter Fraser is best known for leading the country during the Second World War when he mobilised New Zealand supplies and volunteers to support Britain while boosting the economy and maintaining home front morale.

Peter Fraser formed a war cabinet which included several erstwhile political opponents.

Peter Fraser led his party to its fourth successive election victory in 1946, albeit with a further reduced majority.

Labour lost the 1949 election and Peter Fraser's government was succeeded by the first National Party government.

Almost exactly one year later, Peter Fraser died from a heart attack aged 66.

Peter Fraser received a basic education, but had to leave school due to his family's poor financial state.

Peter Fraser gained employment as a stevedore on arrival in Auckland, and became involved in union politics upon joining the New Zealand Socialist Party.

Peter Fraser worked as campaign manager for Michael Joseph Savage as the Socialist candidate for Auckland Central electorate.

Peter Fraser was involved in the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which he represented at Waihi during the Waihi miners' strike of 1912.

Peter Fraser moved to Wellington, the country's capital, shortly afterwards.

In 1916, Peter Fraser became involved in the foundation of the New Zealand Labour Party, which absorbed much of the moribund Social Democratic Party's membership.

Peter Fraser always rejected the verdict, claiming he would only have committed subversion had he taken active steps to undermine conscription, rather than merely voicing his disapproval.

Peter Fraser resumed his activities within the Labour Party, initially in the role of campaign manager for Harry Holland.

In 1919 Peter Fraser stood on the Labour Party's ticket for the Wellington City Council.

Peter Fraser led a movement on the council to establish a municipal milk distribution department in Wellington, which was to remain in operation until the 1990s.

Peter Fraser was re-elected in 1921, though Labour lost ground only winning two seats.

Peter Fraser made a comeback on the council when he was persuaded to stand in a 1933 by-election.

Peter Fraser was re-elected to the Council in 1935, topping the poll with more votes than any other candidate.

Peter Fraser's views clashed considerably with those of Harry Holland, still serving as leader, but the party gradually shifted its policies away from the more extreme left of the spectrum.

Peter Fraser soon became convinced that political action via parliamentary process was the only realistic course of action to achieve Labour movement ambitions.

Peter Fraser considered contesting it, but eventually endorsed Michael Joseph Savage, Holland's more moderate deputy.

Peter Fraser showed himself extremely active as a minister, often working seventeen hours a day, seven days a week.

Peter Fraser would prepare meals for him during his long days at parliament.

Peter Fraser had a particular interest in education, which he considered vital for social reform.

Peter Fraser held a passionate belief that education had a huge part to play in the social reform he desired.

Fortunately for him, Janet Peter Fraser had long volunteered in the health and welfare fields and was an invaluable adviser and collaborator.

Peter Fraser had to assume most of the Prime Minister's duties in addition to his own ministerial ones.

In particular, conscription provoked strong opposition, especially since Peter Fraser himself had opposed it during the First World War.

Peter Fraser replied that fighting in the Second World War, unlike in the First World War, had indeed a worthy cause, making conscription a necessary evil.

Peter Fraser was one of the immediate few in New Zealand who instantly grasped that war meant not merely the involvement of the military, but that of the whole country.

Peter Fraser further developed somewhat of an authoritarian streak as a result; this reflected his insistence on the overwhelming importance of the war effort above all else.

In terms of the war effort itself, Peter Fraser had a particular concern with ensuring that New Zealand retained control over its own forces.

Peter Fraser believed that the more populous countries, particularly Britain, viewed New Zealand's military as a mere extension of their own, rather than as the armed forces of a sovereign nation.

Peter Fraser insisted to British leaders that Bernard Freyberg, commander of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force, should report to the New Zealand government just as extensively as to the British authorities.

When Japan entered the war in December 1941, Peter Fraser had to choose between recalling New Zealand's forces to the Pacific or keeping them in the Middle East.

Peter Fraser weighed up public opinions against the strategic arguments involved and eventually opted to leave New Zealand's Expeditionary Force where it was.

Peter Fraser had a very rocky relationship with US Secretary of State Cordell Hull, particularly over the Canberra Pact in January 1944.

In 1943 Peter Fraser arranged for 6,000 men to return home from the Mediterranean theatre for a three-month furlough, anticipating that the grateful men and their families would be more disposed to vote Labour in the general election.

Peter Fraser's government established a far closer working understanding with the Labor government in Australia.

Peter Fraser was elected chairman of one of the main committees which was considering dependent territories, and next year in London was chairman of one of the social-economic committees at the first assembly in London.

Peter Fraser earned the respect of many world statesmen through his commitment to principle, his energy, and most of all his skill as a chairman.

Peter Fraser had a particularly close working relationship with Alister McIntosh, the head of the Prime Minister's department during most of Peter Fraser's premiership and then of the Department of External Affairs, created in 1946.

Peter Fraser took up the role of Minister of Native Affairs in 1947.

Peter Fraser had had an interest in Maori concerns for some time, and he implemented a number of measures designed to reduce inequality.

Peter Fraser's Government had proposed to adopt the Statute of Westminster 1931 in its Speech from the Throne in 1944, in order to gain greater constitutional independence.

Peter Fraser believed that the Commonwealth could as a group address the evils of colonialism and maintain the solidarity of common defence.

Peter Fraser knew his domestic audience and was tough on republicanism or defence weakness to deflect criticism from the loyalist and imperialist-minded opposition National Party.

In March 1949 Peter Fraser wrote to the Canadian prime minister, Louis St Laurent, stating his frustration and unease over India's position.

Peter Fraser left little doubt New Zealand was opposed to India's membership as a republic when he stated to his colleagues at Downing Street:.

Peter Fraser argued that the compromise allowed the Commonwealth dynamism, that would in the future allow former colonies of Africa to join as republics and be stalwarts of this New Commonwealth.

Indeed, Peter Fraser cabled a senior minister, Walter Nash, after the decision was taken to accept India that "while the Declaration is not as I would have wished, it is on the whole acceptable and maximum possible, and does not at any rate leave our position unimpaired".

Peter Fraser moved to the Wellington seat of Brooklyn, which he held until his death.

At this stage of his career, Peter Fraser relied heavily on the party "machine".

Peter Fraser died at the age of 66, exactly one year after leaving government.

On 1 November 1919, a year after his election to parliament, Peter Fraser married Janet Kemp, from Glasgow and a political activist.

Peter Fraser died in Wellington on 12 December 1950 from a heart attack following hospitalisation with influenza.

Peter Fraser's death came the day before the first anniversary of his leaving the premiership.

Peter Fraser's body lay in state in the New Zealand Parliament Buildings for three days and a state funeral service was conducted by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church.

In 1935, Peter Fraser was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal, and in 1937, he was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal.

Peter Fraser was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1940 and a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 1946.