Joseph Ward

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The Right Honourable Sir Joseph Ward Bt GCMG
c. 1906
17th Prime Minister of New Zealand
In office 6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912
Monarchs	Edward VII George V
Governor	William Plunket Arthur Foljambe
Preceded by	William Hall-Jones
Succeeded by	Thomas Mackenzie
In office 10 December 1928 – 28 May 1930
Monarch	George V
Governors‑General	Charles Fergusson Charles Bathurst
Preceded by	Gordon Coates
Succeeded by	George Forbes
17th Minister of Finance
In office 1 May 1893 – 16 June 1896
Prime Minister	Richard Seddon
Preceded by	John Ballance
Succeeded by	Richard Seddon
In office 6 August 1906 – 28 March 1912
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	William Hall-Jones
Succeeded by	Arthur Myers
In office 12 August 1915 – 21 August 1919
Prime Minister	William Massey
Preceded by	James Allen
Succeeded by	James Allen
In office 10 December 1928 – 28 May 1930
Prime Minister	Himself
Preceded by	William Downie Stewart Jr
Succeeded by	George Forbes
6th Leader of the Opposition
In office 11 September 1913 – 27 November 1919
Prime Minister	William Massey
Preceded by	William Massey
Succeeded by	William MacDonald
In office 4 December 1928 – 10 December 1928
Prime Minister	Gordon Coates
Preceded by	Harry Holland
Succeeded by	Gordon Coates
Personal details
Born	(1856-04-26)26 April 1856 Melbourne, Victoria Colony
Died	8 July 1930(1930-07-08) (aged 74) Wellington, New Zealand
Political party	Liberal (1890–1928) United (1928–1930)
Spouse	Theresa Dorothea de Smidt ​ ​ (m. 1883; died 1927)​
Children	5
Parent(s)	William Ward Hannah Ward Barron
Relatives	Vincent Ward (son) Joseph Ward (grandson) Bernard Wood (son-in-law)
Profession	Businessman
Signature

Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG, PC (26 April 1856 – 8 July 1930) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 17th prime minister of New Zealand from 1906 to 1912 and from 1928 to 1930. He was a dominant figure in the Liberal and United ministries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Ward was born into an Irish Catholic family in Melbourne, Victoria. In 1863, financial hardship forced his family to move to New Zealand, where he completed his education. Ward established a successful grain trade in Invercargill in 1877 and soon became prominent in local politics. He became a Member of Parliament in 1887. Following the election of the Liberal Government in 1891, Ward was appointed as Postmaster-General under John Ballance; he was promoted to Minister of Finance in the succeeding ministry of Richard Seddon.

Ward became Prime Minister on 6 August 1906, following Seddon's death two months earlier. In his first period of government, Ward advocated greater unity within the British Empire, led New Zealand to Dominion status, and increased New Zealand's contribution to the Royal Navy. His government faced strong opposition from the Reform Party and the newly formed socialist parties. He led the Liberal Party to two election victories, in 1908 and 1911, albeit with a one-seat majority in the latter. He resigned as head of government on 28 March 1912.

During the First World War, Ward led his party in a coalition with the Reform Party. As co-leader of the government, Ward had a strained working relationship with Prime Minister William Massey. The coalition was dissolved in 1919 and Ward resigned as Liberal leader.

After a six-year absence from national politics, Ward returned to parliament in 1925. He became Prime Minister on 10 December 1928, as leader of the United Party, which had formed from the remnants of the former Liberal Party. Ward attempted to rejuvenate liberal support in New Zealand but his party lost ground to the New Zealand Labour Party. Failing health forced his retirement from leadership on 28 May 1930.