13 May 2021

The beginnings of the National Party - Dr Barry Gustafson

From Lately, 10:45 pm on 13 May 2021

Tonight on The Rest Is History - on this day back in 1936, a group of defeated politicians met in Wellington. They were the conservatives from urban centres and from the regions. The farmers, the lawyers  and the business leaders. They'd been badly defeated by the Labour Party in the general election and they decided to establish a new 'anti-socialist' party. There's one man who's written more about this than any other in New Zealand -  Dr Barry Gustafson.

Keith Jacka Holyoake. Ref: 1/4-020010-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23232141

Keith Jacka Holyoake. Ref: 1/4-020010-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/23232141 Photo: Alexander Turnbull Library