Joseph Albert Walding (18 June 1926 – 5 June 1985) was a New Zealand politician of the
Labour Party. He represented the
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
for several terms. After his retirement from Parliament, he became
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
The following is the list of ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom, or more formally, to the Court of St James's. High commissioners represent member states of the Commonwealth of Nations and ambassadors represent other sta ...
, but died within months of taking the post.
Biography
Early life
Walding was born in
Christchurch
Christchurch ( ; mi, Ōtautahi) is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Canterbury Region. Christchurch lies on the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula on Pegasus Bay. The Avon River / ...
, in 1926.
He went to school in that city. When he was 15, he joined the
New Zealand Merchant Navy and later the
British Merchant Navy
The Merchant Navy is the maritime register of the United Kingdom and comprises the seagoing commercial interests of UK-registered ships and their crews. Merchant Navy vessels fly the Red Ensign and are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguar ...
. The impressions that he gained through the war shaped his outlook on life.
He became a carpenter after the war, working in the
Wellington
Wellington ( mi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara or ) is the capital city of New Zealand. It is located at the south-western tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Remutaka Range. Wellington is the second-largest city in New Zealand by me ...
area.
He married Eileen Norma Walding (née Paul) of
Feilding
Feilding ( mi, Aorangi) is a town in the Manawatū District of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 54, 20 kilometres north of Palmerston North. The town is the seat of the Manawatū District Council.
Feilding has ...
in 1950. They had six daughters.
After the marriage, the couple moved to
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
. Walding joined his mother's catering business, Smith and Walding. Together with his brother Charlie, he developed the company into a successful venture. In 1957, Walding established Prepared Foods Co Ltd, a gourmet food and canning business with an export focus.
Political career
Walding was first elected a member of the
Palmerston North City Council
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
in 1959; councillors were already elected for three year terms at that time. He was re-elected in 1962 and 1965. Having been elected to
Parliament
In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
in 1967, he did not stand for the City Council again in 1968.
Walding stood unsuccessfully against
Bill Brown for the seat in the . Following Brown's sudden death in 1967, Walding successfully contested the resulting against four others: Gordon Cruden (
National Party),
John O'Brien (
Social Credit Party), Goldingham (Progress) and Jamie Wedderspoon (
Democratic Labour).
Walding represented the
Palmerston North
Palmerston North (; mi, Te Papa-i-Oea, known colloquially as Palmy) is a city in the North Island of New Zealand and the seat of the Manawatū-Whanganui region. Located in the eastern Manawatu Plains, the city is near the north bank of the ...
electorate for the next eight years. After entering parliament he was designated as Labour's spokesperson for the environment and conservation.
During the
Third Labour Government between 1972 and 1975, he was
Minister of Overseas Trade,
Minister for the Environment,
Minister for Sport and Recreation and Associate Minister of Foreign Affairs. As Minister for the Environment he was deeply involved in the government decision in February 1973 to not raise the level of
Lake Manapouri
Lake Manapouri is located in the South Island of New Zealand. The lake is situated within the Fiordland National Park and the wider region of Te Wahipounamu South West New Zealand World Heritage Area.
Māori History
According to Māori people, ...
, fulfilling one of Labour's key election pledge during the
Save Manapouri campaign
The Save Manapouri campaign was an environmental campaign waged between 1969 and 1972 in New Zealand to prevent the raising of the levels of lakes Manapouri and Te Anau as part of the construction of the Manapouri Power Project.
Origins
The ...
. He then helped create an independent body, the Guardians of Lake Manapouri, Monowai, and Te Anau (composed of leading members of the protest) to oversee management of the lake levels. As Minister for Sport and Recreation he initiated the "Come Alive" campaign in 1973 which urged Kiwis to get active and participate in sport and other physical hobbies.
As Minister of Overseas Trade he made major trading market breakthroughs with both
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
in response to New Zealand's need to grow overseas markets after the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
cut trading ties after joining the European Common Market. At the same time he still was able to achieve favourable concessions from the United Kingdom.
He solved New Zealand's problem with a beef sales quota to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
while on a visit to
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
. He convinced Mexico to sell its beef supply to the United States allowing New Zealand to sell more of its beef surpluses to Mexico instead of the United States. Both countries benefitting from the arrangement.
In 1973 he made the first official visit by a New Zealand government minister to
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
since the 1949
Chinese Communist Revolution
The Chinese Communist Revolution, officially known as the Chinese People's War of Liberation in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and also known as the National Protection War against the Communist Rebellion in the Republic of China (ROC ...
and famously rode a bicycle down the
Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China (, literally "ten thousand ''li'' wall") is a series of fortifications that were built across the historical northern borders of ancient Chinese states and Imperial China as protection against various nomadic grou ...
.
He travelled with Agriculture and Fisheries minister
Colin Moyle
Colin James Moyle (born 18 July 1929) is a former politician of the New Zealand Labour Party who served as a Member of Parliament (MP) from 1963 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1990. He was a Government minister in the Third Labour and Fourth ...
frequently to many overseas countries, particularly
Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also called Persia, is a country located in Western Asia. It is bordered by Iraq and Turkey to the west, by Azerbaijan and Armenia to the northwest, by the Caspian Sea and Turkmeni ...
,
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
and
China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, to open more export markets for New Zealand's primary produce.
In 1975 he was defeated by
John Lithgow
John Arthur Lithgow ( ; born , 1945) is an American actor. Lithgow studied at Harvard University and the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art before becoming known for his work on the stage and screen. He has been the recipient of numerous ...
for the Palmerston North seat. Following his defeat he was elected vice-president of the Labour Party at the 1977 party conference (after failing to win the presidency) and was re-elected at the 1978 conference. In 1978 he in turn defeated Lithgow to regain the Palmerston North seat and return the parliament. Labour was still in opposition and he was appointed Shadow Minister of Trade and Industry and later Shadow Minister of Overseas Trade. In 1979 he stood again for the Labour Party presidency but was defeated by
Jim Anderton
James Patrick Anderton (born Byrne; 21 January 1938 – 7 January 2018) was a New Zealand politician who led a succession of left-wing parties after leaving the Labour Party in 1989.
Anderton's political career began when he was elected to th ...
586 votes to 527. Six months prior to the , he announced his retirement from Parliament citing ill-health.
He later became a key advisor to
David Lange
David Russell Lange ( ; 4 August 1942 – 13 August 2005) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 32nd prime minister of New Zealand from 1984 to 1989.
Lange was born and brought up in Otahuhu, the son of a medical doctor. He became ...
while he was leader of the opposition and was heavily involved in Labour's successful election campaign. During the campaign he accompanied Lange on his hectic schedule of public hustings as an organiser and confidante earning him the title "Mr Lange's minder".
High Commissioner
In late 1984, he was appointed
High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
The following is the list of ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom, or more formally, to the Court of St James's. High commissioners represent member states of the Commonwealth of Nations and ambassadors represent other sta ...
. In March 1985 he made a rare official visit to the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
and met with Soviet Premier
Konstantin Chernenko
Konstantin Ustinovich Chernenko uk, Костянтин Устинович Черненко, translit=Kostiantyn Ustynovych Chernenko (24 September 1911 – 10 March 1985) was a Soviet politician and the seventh General Secretary of the Commun ...
just before Chernenko's death.
Death
Three months after starting the position, he died on 5 June 1985 in
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
.
He collapsed following an evening dinner at his official residence in
Chelsea
Chelsea or Chelsey may refer to:
Places Australia
* Chelsea, Victoria
Canada
* Chelsea, Nova Scotia
* Chelsea, Quebec
United Kingdom
* Chelsea, London, an area of London, bounded to the south by the River Thames
** Chelsea (UK Parliament consti ...
before being rushed to
St. Stephen's Hospital shortly after 10pm. He was survived by his wife and six daughters.
Walding's wife, Eileen Walding, was appointed a
Companion of the Queen's Service Order
The Queen's Service Order, established by royal warrant of Queen Elizabeth II on 13 March 1975, is used to recognise "valuable voluntary service to the community or meritorious and faithful services to the Crown or similar services within the pu ...
for community service in the
1990 New Year Honours. She died in
Havelock North
Havelock North ( mi, Te Hemo-a-Te Atonga) is a town in the Hawke's Bay region of the North Island of New Zealand, situated less than 2 km south-east of the city of Hastings. It was a borough for many years until the 1989 reorganisation of local ...
on 8 June 2017.
Notes
References
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*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Walding, Joe
1926 births
1985 deaths
People educated at Kavanagh College
Palmerston North City Councillors
New Zealand Labour Party MPs
New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates
Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
20th-century New Zealand businesspeople
High Commissioners of New Zealand to the United Kingdom
Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
Unsuccessful candidates in the 1975 New Zealand general election
Unsuccessful candidates in the 1966 New Zealand general election
New Zealand military personnel of World War II
British Merchant Navy personnel of World War II