William Massey

The Right Honourable William Ferguson Massey
William Massey in 1919
19th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 10 July 1912 – 10 May 1925
Monarch	George V
Governor-General	John Dickson-Poynder Arthur Foljambe John Jellicoe Charles Fergusson
Preceded by	Thomas Mackenzie
Succeeded by	Francis Bell
5th Leader of the Opposition
In office 11 September 1903 – 10 July 1912
Deputy	James Allen
Preceded by	William Russell
Succeeded by	Joseph Ward
Personal details
Born	(1856-03-26)26 March 1856 Limavady, County Londonderry, Ireland
Died	10 May 1925(1925-05-10) (aged 69) Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Reform (None until February 1909)
Spouse(s)	Dame Christina Massey GBE (née Christina Allan Paul)
Relations	Walter Massey(son) Jack Massey(son)
Children	7
Religion	Presbyterian

William Ferguson Massey (26 March 1856 – 10 May 1925), often known as Bill Massey or "Farmer Bill", was the 19th Prime Minister of New Zealand, from 1912 to 1925, and the founder of the Reform Party. He is widely considered to have been one of the more skilled politicians of his time, and was known for the particular support he showed for rural interests. After Richard Seddon, he is the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Massey was born in 1856 into a Protestant farming family, and grew up in Limavady, County Londonderry in Ireland. His father John Massey and his mother Marianne (or Mary Anne) née Ferguson were tenant farmers, who also owned a small property. His family arrived in New Zealand on 21 October 1862 on board the Indian Empire as Nonconformist settlers, although Massey remained in Ireland for a further eight years to complete his education. After arriving on 10 December 1870 on the City of Auckland, Massey worked as a farmhand for some years before acquiring his own farm in Mangere, south Auckland, in 1876. In 1882 Massey married his neighbour's daughter, Christina Allan Paul. They had seven children.

Massey gradually became more prominent in his community. This was partly due to his civic involvement in the school board, the debating society,and farming associations. Because of his prominence in these circles, he became involved in political debate, working on behalf of rural conservatives against the Liberal Party government of John Ballance.

In 1893 Massey stood as a candidate in the general election in the Franklin electorate, losing to the Liberal candidate, Benjamin Harris. In early 1894 he was invited to contest a by-election in the neighbouring electorate of Waitemata, and was victorious. In the 1896 election he stood for the Franklin electorate, which he represented until he died in 1925.