26 Facts About Rex Mason

Rex Mason 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.

Rex Mason is the only person to serve as a Member of the New Zealand Parliament for over 40 years.

Rex Mason's father was Harry Brooks Mason, a compositor at the Government Printing Works from South Africa.

Rex Mason's mother, Henrietta Emma Rex, was an Australian who helped form the Women's Social and Political League and was vice-president in 1894.

Rex Mason was educated at Clyde Quay School, then Wellington College where he was dux in 1902.

Rex Mason won a scholarship and attended Victoria University where graduated in 1907 with a Master of Arts with honours in mathematics and a Bachelor of Laws.

Rex Mason then worked in several law firms in Wellington and Eltham before opening his own practice in Pukekohe in 1911.

Rex Mason was joined in the practice by his brother Spencer, who later became president of the Auckland District Law Society.

On 27 December 1912 Rex Mason married Dulcia Martina Rockell at Auckland.

Rex Mason was left-wing in his political outlook, and joined the Labour Party on its foundation in 1916.

Rex Mason 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.

Rex Mason represented the seat of Eden in the 22nd Parliament, Auckland Suburbs in the 23rd to 27th Parliaments, Waitakere in the 28th to 33rd Parliaments, and New Lynn in the 34th Parliament.

Rex Mason served as its president from 1931 to 1933, and played a major role in policy formulation.

Rex 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.

Rex Mason did believe that the state should have exclusive control over the country's financial system, influenced by social credit monetary reform theories.

In 1935, Rex Mason was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

When Labour won the 1935 general election, Rex Mason became Attorney General and Minister of Justice, reflecting his legal background.

In 1941 the Public Service Commissioner Thomas Mark died in the minister's office, during a confrontation with Rex Mason who wanted the resignation of the head of a department.

Rex Mason was not returned to Cabinet after the 1946 election, but returned to fill a vacancy the following year.

In 1953 Rex Mason was among several Labour MPs who attempted an abortive coup to remove the 71-year-old Walter Nash as party leader, others included Bill Anderton and Arnold Nordmeyer.

Rex Mason informed Nash that several members were complaining about the party's leadership to him, and that he thought that the majority wanted to have a new leader.

Rex Mason was unfairly and inaccurately accused of attempting to amend the law to legalise homosexual acts between consenting males and adopt the recommendations of the 1957 Wolfenden Report on homosexuality in England.

Rex Mason eventually retired from politics at the 1966 election, under a certain amount of pressure from colleagues who wished to "rejuvenate" the Labour Party.

Rex Mason is the only person to have served as an MP for over 40 years.

Rex Mason was invited by new Prime Minister Norman Kirk as a guest of honour to the first meeting of caucus following Labour's victory in the 1972 election where he oversaw the election of the cabinet.

Rex Mason died in Wellington on 2 April 1975, aged 89, and his ashes were buried in Karori Cemetery.