Harry Lake

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The Honourable
Harry Lake
File:Harry Lake.jpg
31st Minister of Finance
In office
12 December 1960 – 21 February 1967
Prime Minister Keith Holyoake
Preceded by Arnold Nordmeyer
Succeeded by Robert Muldoon
Personal details
Born 29 September 1911
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died 21 February 1967
Wellington, New Zealand
Political party National

Harry Robson Lake (29 September 1911 – 21 February 1967), a New Zealand politician, served as Minister of Finance for six years in the second National government, in the 1960s. He died of a heart attack when only 55 years old.

Early life

Lake was born in Christchurch. Lake was father to two children, Richard Hartley Robson Lake and Mary-Rose Lake and grandfather to three Oliver Harry Kent Lake, Benjamin Hartley Lake & Helen Ansell. He was educated at the University of Canterbury, gaining a degree in commerce. He established an accountancy practice in 1943.

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1951–1954 30th Lyttelton National
1954–1957 31st Lyttelton National
1960–1963 33rd Fendalton National
1963–1966 34th Fendalton National
1966–1967 35th Fendalton National

After holding a number of roles within the National Party's administration, he stood as the party's candidate for the Riccarton seat in the 1949 election.[1] Riccarton was regarded as a "safe" Labour Party seat, and Lake was unsuccessful.[2] In the 1951 election, however, Lake won the seat of Lyttelton, which had been held by Labour for nearly forty years. While Lake held his seat in the 1954 election, he lost it in the 1957 election to Norman Kirk (who later became Prime Minister).

In the 1960 election, which National won, Lake returned to Parliament as the MP for Fendalton (a safe National seat). He was immediately elevated to Cabinet by Prime Minister Keith Holyoake, becoming minister of finance. As Lake possessed no ministerial experience before this point, his immediate appointment to one of the most powerful ministerial posts was remarkable. In recognition of his lack of experience, however, Lake was officially ranked sixth in Cabinet, a lower position than a minister of finance would normally expect.

Despite holding one of the most powerful political positions in the country, Lake never had a high public profile. In keeping with Holyoake's desire to maintain the status quo, Lake's tenure as minister of finance was relatively uneventful, with the primary focus being on stability. In 1964, Lake suffered his first heart attack, which reduced his energy somewhat but did not impair his ability to perform his role.

At the end of 1966, New Zealand encountered economic difficulties as the result of a collapse in export prices. Lake did not have a chance to respond to this problem, however — in February 1967, he suffered a second heart attack, and died.[3] He was succeeded as minister of finance by Robert Muldoon, and as MP for Fendalton by Eric Holland.

Notes

  1. Gustafson 1986, p. 325.
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  3. Obituary in The Press (Christchurch) of 22 February 1967

References

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External links

Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Finance
1960–1967
Succeeded by
Robert Muldoon
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Lyttelton
1951–1957
Succeeded by
Norman Kirk
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Fendalton
1960–1967
Succeeded by
Eric Holland