Mabel Howard
Encyclopedia
Mabel Bowden Howard was a well-known New Zealand
trade unionist and politician
. She was the first woman secretary of a male union (the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union).
She was a Member of Parliament
for the Labour Party
from 1943 until 1969. In 1947 she became New Zealand's first woman cabinet minister when she was made Minister of Health and Minister in charge of Child Welfare. She is remembered for waving two large pairs of bloomers in parliament in support of her successful campaign to have clothing sizes standardised.
, near Adelaide
, Australia
on 18 April 1894. She moved to New Zealand with her father (Ted Howard) and sisters after her mother, Harriett Garard Goring, died in 1903.
Howard joined the Christchurch Socialist Party when still at the Christchurch Technical Institute. She entered the Trades Hall in 1911 as an office assistant for the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union. In 1933, at the age of 39, she became the first woman to become secretary of a male union in New Zealand.
for a total of 19 years: 1933–1935, 1938–1941, 1950–1959 and 1963–1968. Howard also served on the Christchurch Drainage Board and North Canterbury Hospital Board.
at a by-election, becoming the fifth woman MP
. Her father Ted Howard, was Member of Parliament for Christchurch South from 1919 until his death in 1939. Mabel Howard had hoped to be chosen to stand for the Christchurch South seat after her father's death in 1939.
In 1946 Mabel Howard became the Member of Parliament for the new Sydenham electorate
, which she won with a majority of 75.2 percent. This was an outstanding result; a reflection of the high regard in which she was held. Howard's concern was for "women, the aged, the sick and the unfortunate" (5 September 1944). In Parliament, she was a "forthright" representative for her people, stating "I stand here and say what I honestly believe" (September 1961).
In Parliament in 1954, she waved two pairs of bloomers that were both labelled OS in front of an astonished House. She demonstrated that, although clothing was supposed to be in standard sizes and correctly labelled, much variation existed. The two pieces were quite clearly of differing sizes. Although opposed by clothing manufacturers, she received much support from the House, including from National Party
members and standardisation was legislated. On another occasion, she threw a stone onto the floor of Parliament to illustrate what buyers of bagged coal may find.
, the Independent
MP for Nelson, recognised Mabel Howard's contribution to New Zealand: "She is a real advocate for the women of this country and with the experience she has had-much wider than ladies of her age usually have-she can speak with authority".
She stated that she 'worked like a slave'. She is quoted as saying:
(RNZSPCA).
, a mental asylum. She died there on 23 June 1972, having never married. She is buried with her father, Ted Howard, at Bromley Cemetery
in Christchurch
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
trade unionist and politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
. She was the first woman secretary of a male union (the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union).
She was a Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for the Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
from 1943 until 1969. In 1947 she became New Zealand's first woman cabinet minister when she was made Minister of Health and Minister in charge of Child Welfare. She is remembered for waving two large pairs of bloomers in parliament in support of her successful campaign to have clothing sizes standardised.
Early years
Mabel Howard was born in BowdenBowden, South Australia
Bowden is an inner northern suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It is located in the City of Charles Sturt.-History:The 'Village of Bowden' was established in 1839 by James Hurtle Fisher, who named it after his native village in Northamptonshire....
, near Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
on 18 April 1894. She moved to New Zealand with her father (Ted Howard) and sisters after her mother, Harriett Garard Goring, died in 1903.
Howard joined the Christchurch Socialist Party when still at the Christchurch Technical Institute. She entered the Trades Hall in 1911 as an office assistant for the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union. In 1933, at the age of 39, she became the first woman to become secretary of a male union in New Zealand.
Local body politics
Between 1933 and 1968, Howard was a councillor for Christchurch City CouncilChristchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
for a total of 19 years: 1933–1935, 1938–1941, 1950–1959 and 1963–1968. Howard also served on the Christchurch Drainage Board and North Canterbury Hospital Board.
Member of Parliament
In 1943, Mabel Howard was elected Member of Parliament for Christchurch EastChristchurch East
Christchurch East is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It is currently held by Lianne Dalziel of the Labour Party.-History:The electorate was first created, as Christchurch City East, for the...
at a by-election, becoming the fifth woman MP
Women's suffrage in New Zealand
Women's suffrage in New Zealand was an important political issue in the late 19th century. Of countries presently independent, New Zealand was the first to give women the vote in modern times....
. Her father Ted Howard, was Member of Parliament for Christchurch South from 1919 until his death in 1939. Mabel Howard had hoped to be chosen to stand for the Christchurch South seat after her father's death in 1939.
In 1946 Mabel Howard became the Member of Parliament for the new Sydenham electorate
Sydenham (New Zealand electorate)
Sydenham was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1881 to 1890 and again from 1946 to 1996. It had notable politicians representing it like Mabel Howard , Norman Kirk and Jim Anderton .This...
, which she won with a majority of 75.2 percent. This was an outstanding result; a reflection of the high regard in which she was held. Howard's concern was for "women, the aged, the sick and the unfortunate" (5 September 1944). In Parliament, she was a "forthright" representative for her people, stating "I stand here and say what I honestly believe" (September 1961).
In Parliament in 1954, she waved two pairs of bloomers that were both labelled OS in front of an astonished House. She demonstrated that, although clothing was supposed to be in standard sizes and correctly labelled, much variation existed. The two pieces were quite clearly of differing sizes. Although opposed by clothing manufacturers, she received much support from the House, including from National Party
New Zealand National Party
The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...
members and standardisation was legislated. On another occasion, she threw a stone onto the floor of Parliament to illustrate what buyers of bagged coal may find.
Cabinet Minister
Howard became a Cabinet Minister only four years after entering Parliament. In 1947, she became Minister of Health and Child Welfare; the first woman Cabinet Minister in the British Commonwealth. When the Labour Party was returned to office in 1957, Howard again achieved Cabinet rank as Minister of Social Security and Child Welfare and Minister in charge of Women and Children. Harry AtmoreHarry Atmore
Harry Atmore was a New Zealand Independent Member of Parliament for Nelson in the South Island.Harry Atmore held the Nelson seat as an Independent for a total of thirty years from 1911 to 1914 and then from 1919 to his death in 1946...
, the Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
MP for Nelson, recognised Mabel Howard's contribution to New Zealand: "She is a real advocate for the women of this country and with the experience she has had-much wider than ladies of her age usually have-she can speak with authority".
She stated that she 'worked like a slave'. She is quoted as saying:
I was in politics for a purpose – my very life was politics. I suppose this was because I was more manly than most women; that’s why I never married.
Community service
She worked as a volunteer for many organisations, among them St John's Ambulance, and the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to AnimalsRoyal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
The Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is a New Zealand charitable society who work to provide food and shelter for abandoned and neglected animals and to promote humane treatment of animals.- History :The New Zealand SPCA was formed by settlers from England in...
(RNZSPCA).
Later life
Howard retired from politics at the 1969 election, after a lifetime of service to her community. The Labour Party had introduced a compulsory retirement age for MPs, which applied to Howard, who had already been showing signs of aging. Once retired, she became increasingly isolated and paranoid, on top of the onset of dementia and pneumonia that she had already suffered while still in Parliament. On a court order, she was eventually submitted to Sunnyside HospitalSunnyside Hospital
Sunnyside Hospital was the first mental asylum to be built in Christchurch, New Zealand. It was initially known as Sunnyside Lunatic Asylum, and its first patients were 17 people who had previously been kept in the Lyttelton gaol...
, a mental asylum. She died there on 23 June 1972, having never married. She is buried with her father, Ted Howard, at Bromley Cemetery
Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch
Bromley Cemetery is a cemetery in Christchurch, New Zealand. It occupies approximately 10 hectares to the east of the city centre, on the corner of Keighleys Road and Linwood Avenue...
in Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
.