William Pember Reeves

William Pember Reeves (10 February 1857 – 16 May 1932) was a New Zealand politician, cricketer, historian and poet who is most notable for his role in the creation of New Zealand's system of industrial relations as Minister of Labour during the Liberal Government of 1891 to 1912.

Early life and career

Reeves's parents were William Reeves, who was a journalist and politician, and Ellen Reeves (née Pember). They had migrated from Britain to Canterbury Province in 1857, arriving three weeks before he was born.

He was educated at a private prep school in Christchurch, the local high school and, from 1867 to 1874, Christ's College Grammar School. Before entering politics, Reeves was a lawyer and journalist. He was editor of the Canterbury Times in 1885 and the Lyttelton Times (1889–1891).

Cricket

Reeves played in five first-class cricket matches for Canterbury from 1879 to 1888. A batsman, his highest score was 54, Canterbury's top score in the match, when Canterbury beat Otago by four runs in February 1883. In his last first-class match, played in January 1888 while he was a Member of Parliament, he top-scored for Canterbury with 31 in the second innings.

Reeves was described as "a steady, thoughtful batsman, a hard man to get out". But he was erratic in his judgement of when to run, a failing he commemorated in one of his poems, "No Judge of a Run: A Lament of Cricket".

Political career

Reeves represented the Christchurch electorate of St Albans in Parliament from 1887 to 1890, and then Christchurch from 1890 to 1896, when he resigned to take up the post of Agent General. During the premierships of John Ballance (1891–93) and Richard Seddon (1893–1906) he served as Minister of Labour (1892–96), Minister of Education (1891–96), Minister of Justice (1891–92, 1893, 1895–96) and Commissioner of Stamp Duties (1892–96). As Minister of Labour he introduced the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894 and the Undesirable Immigrants Exclusion Bill, which, if it had been passed, would have barred poor and Asian immigrants from the country. His opposition to the entry of those he considered "undesirable" immigrants earned him the nickname "Undesirable Bill" Reeves.