William Pember Reeves
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The Honourable William Pember Reeves |
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Portrait of William Pember Reeves possibly taken when he was elected to be a member of parliament in 1887
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| Minister of Labour | |
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In office 1891–1896 |
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| Monarch | Queen Victoria |
| Prime Minister |
John Ballance Richard Seddon |
| 5th Agent-General to the United Kingdom | |
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In office 1896–1905 |
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| Preceded by | Westby Perceval |
| 1st High Commissioner to the United Kingdom | |
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In office 1905–1908 |
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| Succeeded by | William Hall-Jones |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 February 1857 Lyttelton, Canterbury Region, New Zealand |
| Died | 16 May 1932 (aged 75) London |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse(s) | Magdalen Stuart Robison |
| Relations | William Reeves (father) |
| Children | Amber Reeves |
| Occupation | lawyer and journalist |
William Pember Reeves (10 February 1857 – 16 May 1932) was a New Zealand politician, historian and poet who promoted social reform.
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).
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.
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