Edward Durning Holt (3 February 1913 – 25 November 1977) was a New Zealand farmer, who served as the president of the National Party from 1966 to 1973.

Biography

Born at

Ormondville Ormondville is a locality in the Manawatū-Whanganui region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located inland, south of Waipukurau and west of Flemington, Hawke's Bay. Ormondville railway station opened in 1880, but services ended in 2001. ...

on 3 February 1913, Holt was the son of Catherine Christabel de Vere Allen and Edward During Holt. He was educated at Huntley School,

Wanganui Collegiate School Whanganui Collegiate School (formerly Wanganui Collegiate School; see here) is a state-integrated, coeducational, day and boarding, secondary school in Whanganui, Manawatū-Whanganui region, New Zealand. The school is affiliated to the Anglican c ...

, and

Napier Boys' High School Napier Boys' High School is a secondary boys' school in, Napier, New Zealand. It currently has a school roll of approximately pupils. The school provides education from Year 9 to Year 13. Notable alumni Business * Rod Drury – chief execu ...

, and went on to study at Massey Agricultural College, where he completed a Diploma of Agriculture. He married Margaret Katherine Simpson at St Stephen's Church, Marton, on 19 February 1936. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Holt served with the

Royal New Zealand Air Force The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) ( mi, Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa, "The Warriors of the Sky of New Zealand"; previously ', "War Party of the Blue") is the aerial service branch of the New Zealand Defence Force. It was formed from New Zeala ...

as a flying instructor. He served as a member of the Hawke's Bay County Council between 1951 and 1964. and was chair of the Massey College council from 1960 to 1962. He was appointed a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1956. Holt served as Hawke's Bay regional chair of the National Party from 1954 to 1963, and was deputy chair of the party's Wellington division from 1958 to 1962. He was elected president of the National Party in 1966. He was a supporter of

Keith Holyoake Sir Keith Jacka Holyoake, (; 11 February 1904 – 8 December 1983) was the 26th prime minister of New Zealand, serving for a brief period in 1957 and then from 1960 to 1972, and also the 13th governor-general of New Zealand, serving from 1977 ...

's policies, but in the

1970 Marlborough by-election The Marlborough by-election of 1970 was a by-election for the electorate of Marlborough, held on 21 February 1970 during the 30th New Zealand Parliament. Background The by-election resulted from the death of Tom Shand on 11 December 1969, only ...

, in which Andy Shand, after his father's death on 11 December 1969, stood against, and was defeated by, Labour candidate

Ian Brooks Ian James Brooks (21 April 1928 – 20 April 2022) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Early life and career Brooks was born in Blenheim on 21 April 1928, the son of Ernest Brooks, and was educated at Marlborough College. He w ...

, Holt was questioned by

George Chapman George Chapman (Hitchin, Hertfordshire, – London, 12 May 1634) was an English dramatist, translator and poet. He was a classical scholar whose work shows the influence of Stoicism. Chapman has been speculated to be the Rival Poet of Shak ...

. Chapman subsequently found that Holt had been complacent about the by-election, with Holt having said that everything was in order, and that in any case the Marlborough seat was a National stronghold and was unlikely to change hands. These events would see Chapman elected as party president in 1973. In the

1977 New Year Honours The New Year Honours 1977 are appointments in many of the Commonwealth realms to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 1977. The awards were announced on 30 December 1976 in the United Kingdom,United Kingdom: Australia,Australia: Ne ...

, Holt was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

, for services to agriculture and the community. Holt died in Napier on 25 November 1977, aged 64 years.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Holt, Ned 1913 births 1977 deaths People from Manawatū-Whanganui People educated at Huntley School, New Zealand People educated at Whanganui Collegiate School People educated at Napier Boys' High School Massey University alumni 20th-century New Zealand farmers Local politicians in New Zealand New Zealand National Party politicians New Zealand justices of the peace New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire