William Massey

The Right Honourable William Ferguson Massey
Massey in 1919
19th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 10 July 1912 – 10 May 1925
Monarch	George V
Governors‑General	John Dickson-Poynder Arthur Foljambe John Jellicoe Charles Fergusson
Preceded by	Thomas Mackenzie
Succeeded by	Sir 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
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Franklin
In office 4 December 1896 – 10 May 1925
Preceded by	Benjamin Harris
Succeeded by	Ewen McLennan
Personal details
Born	(1856-03-26)26 March 1856 Limavady, County Londonderry, Ireland, UK
Died	10 May 1925(1925-05-10) (aged 69) Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Reform (from 1909)
Spouse	Christina Allan Paul ​ ​ (m. 1882)​
Children	7, including Walter and Jack
Relatives	Stan Goosman (nephew)

William Ferguson Massey PC (26 March 1856 – 10 May 1925) was a politician who served as the 19th prime minister of New Zealand from May 1912 to May 1925. He was the founding leader of the Reform Party, New Zealand's second organised political party, from 1909 until his death.

Massey was born in County Londonderry in Ireland. After migrating to New Zealand in 1870, Massey farmed near Auckland (earning his later nickname, Farmer Bill) and assumed leadership in farmers' organisations. He entered parliament in 1894 as a conservative, and from 1894 to 1912 was a leader of the conservative opposition to the Liberal ministries of Richard Seddon and Joseph Ward. Massey became the first Reform Party Prime Minister after he led a successful motion of no confidence against the Liberal government. Throughout his political career Massey was known for the particular support he showed for agrarian interests, as well as his opposition to organised labour. He pledged New Zealand's support for Britain during the First World War.

Massey led his Reform Party through four elections, although only the 1919 election was a decisive victory over all other parties. Following increasingly poor health in his fourth term, Massey died in office. After Richard Seddon, he is the second-longest-serving Prime Minister of New Zealand.