Mrs Mary Manson Dreaver was a New Zealand

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...

 politician of 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....

.

She won the seat of Waitemata

Waitemata (New Zealand electorate)

Waitemata was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1946, and then from 1954 to 1978.-Population centres:This electorate is in the suburbs of Auckland.-History:The electorate existed from 1871 to 1946, and from 1954 to 1978...

 in 1941 when a by-election was held after the death of the previous 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....

 MP, William John Lyon

William John Lyon

For the Anglican priest with the same name see William John LyonWilliam John Lyon was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was was killed in World War II while serving with the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force.-Early years:Lyon was born in London, England, and educated at a...

. She was defeated in the next (1943

New Zealand general election, 1943

The 1943 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 27th term. With the onset of World War II, elections were initially postponed, but it was eventually decided to hold a general election in September 1943, around two years after it...

) general election, by the 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:...

 candidate, Henry Thorne Morton

Henry Thorne Morton

Henry Thorne Morton was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Waitemata electorate from 1943 to 1946. In 1946 the Waitemata seat was abolished, and he was defeated for the new North Shore seat by Martyn Finlay....

.

She was the third woman to be elected to Parliament after Elizabeth McCombs

Elizabeth McCombs

Elizabeth McCombs was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. New Zealand women gained the right to vote in 1893, though were not allowed to stand for the House of Representatives until the election of 1919...

 and Catherine Stewart

Catherine Stewart

Mrs Catherine Campbell Sword Stewart was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.She won the seat of Wellington West in 1938, and was the second woman to be elected to Parliament after Elizabeth McCombs. She was defeated in the next election.Born in Glasgow, she migrated with her family to...

, was on several Auckland

Auckland

The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

 local bodies, and (with Mary Anderson) was one of the first women appointed to the Legislative Council

New Zealand Legislative Council

The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...

 in 1946; they served to 1950 when the Legislative Council was abolished. She was a journalist

Journalist

A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...

 as Maorilander in the New Zealand Woman's Weekly

New Zealand Woman's Weekly

The New Zealand Woman's Weekly is a weekly New Zealand women's magazine published by APN News & Media. , it has a circulation of 82,040, third by paid sales after TV Guide and New Zealand Woman's Day.-History:...

and a broadcaster

Presenter

A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...

 on 1ZB as Aunt Maisy.

She was born in Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

 as Mary Manson Bain. She was a minister and president of the National Spiritualist Church

Spiritualist Church

A Spiritualist church is a church affiliated with the informal Spiritualist movement which began in the United States of America in the 1840s. Spiritualist churches are now found around the world, but are most common in English-speaking countries, while in Latin America, where a form of...

of New Zealand.

Further reading