Senior Whip of the Liberal Party

The Liberal Party's Senior Whip was a political post in New Zealand. The whip's task was to administer the "whipping in" system that attempts to ensure that party MPs attend and vote according to the party leadership's wishes.[1] All Liberal whips were members of the House of Representatives with none coming from the Legislative Council. The position held high esteem in the Liberal caucus and it was not uncommon for whips to move into higher positions later on. Two (William MacDonald and George Forbes) would later serve as party leader. Forbes also served as Prime Minister from 1930 to 1935.[2]

List edit

The following is a list of senior whips of the Liberal Party (including United) up until the establishment of the National Party:[3]

No. Name Portrait Electorate Term of Office
1 Westby Perceval   Christchurch 19 June 1890 15 September 1891
2 Frank Lawry   Parnell 15 September 1891 29 October 1894
3 Charles H. Mills   Wairau 29 October 1894 20 October 1900
4 John Stevens   Manawatu 20 October 1900 1 July 1902
5 Walter Carncross   Taieri 1 July 1902 25 November 1902
6 John O'Meara   Pahiatua 29 June 1903 3 July 1904†
7 Frederick Flatman   Geraldine 3 July 1904 29 August 1906
8 Alfred Kidd   Auckland Central 3 September 1906 10 October 1908
9 George Laurenson   Lyttelton 8 June 1909 28 June 1910
10 William MacDonald   Bay of Plenty 30 June 1910 15 June 1912
11 George Forbes   Hurunui 15 June 1912 7 February 1923
12 Sydney George Smith   New Plymouth 7 February 1923 16 June 1926
13 Alfred Ransom   Pahiatua 16 June 1926 4 December 1928
14 Alfred Murdoch   Marsden 4 December 1928 27 May 1930
15 George Munns   Roskill 27 May 1930 22 September 1931
(14) Alfred Murdoch   Marsden 22 September 1931 13 May 1936

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 278.
  2. ^ Gardner, W. J. "Forbes, George William". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
  3. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 279–80.

References edit

  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.