Thom's Irish Who's Who/Massey, Right Hon. William Ferguson

MASSEY, Right Hon. William Ferguson, P.C. (1914); Hon. LL.D. (Edinburgh); Prime Minister of New Zealand since 1912. Educ.; Public School and Secondary Schools at Londonderry; went out to New Zealand, 1870, to join his parents, who had emigrated with the Nonconformist settlers. 1862; was early associated with Local Government, and at different times held positions of Member of Road Board, Chairman of School Committee, President of Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, President of Farmers' Club, etc.; entered New Zealand Parliament as Member for Waitemata, 1894; Member for Franklin since 1896; Chief Opposition Whip, 1895; Leader of the Opposition, 1903; has held office as Minister of Lands, Labour, Agriculture, Industries, and Commerce: a Representative of New Zealand Imperial War Cabinet and Conference, 1917-18; Plenipotentiary Peace Conference, Paris, 1919; Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Belgium. Pubns.: pamphlets and miscellaneous articles. Recns.: bowling and general interest in all sport; b. Limavady, Co. Derry, 26th March, 1856; son of John Massey and Marian Ferguson; m. Christina, C.B.E., dau. of Walter Paul, Auckland, N.Z.; three sons, two daus. Res.: Wellington, New Zealand. Clubs: Northern, Auckland, Auckland; Wellington, Wellington.