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Mick Moohan
Michael Moohan (27 April 1899 – 7 February 1967) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Seldom known to anyone by anything other than "Mick", he was a major organisational figure in the Labour Party's early history and went on to become a significant politician in his own right as an MP and cabinet minister.
Moohan was born in Garrison, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1899, he was brought up in Manchester, England. He was apprenticed to the engineering trade. He served with the 2nd Division, Royal Engineers during World War I in France and then in the Army of Occupation, the Army of the Rhine. Returned to England where the land 'fit for heroes' didn't emerge and emigrated to New Zealand in 1922, where he joined the Labour Party. In 1923 he married Selina (Cely) Heyman who arrived from Manchester prior to his arrival; they had one son and four daughters.
After arriving in New Zealand Moohan found employment with the technical staff of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department and was stationed in Raetihi. There he became active in support of Labour in the Waimarino County. He was elected a member of the Ohakune Borough Council from 1932 to 1935, also serving as deputy mayor. After, leaving Waimarino for Auckland, he was elected vice-president and later as secretary of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee. He joined Labour's national office as an assistant secretary in 1937, and in 1940 was elected as Labour's national secretary-treasurer.
Moohan was elected the Member of Parliament for the new electorate of Petone in 1946 and served until 1967, when he died. He fought off deputy leader Walter Nash for the Labour nomination who indicated his preference for contesting the Petone seat after an electoral redistribution occurred which made his seat of Hutt more marginal.
Moohan was described by contemporaries as a colourful character and effective debater. Attributed to his Irish upbringing he was described as a versatile speaker who could infuse almost any speech with an entertaining and effective mixture of both 'banter and bite'. Closer colleagues however also noted his underhanded and expedient nature. Nash said of him "He [Moohan] was a sly fellow, oozing bonhomie, with an instinct for low politics."
From 1947 to 1949 he was Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister. He was appointed by Peter Fraser to oversee the government's post-war state housing scheme. In 1951 he was nominated to stand for the deputy leadership of the party, but he declined the nomination. Moohan was a critic of Nash's leadership and helped organise a leadership challenge against him in 1954, though in the event switched sides and voted for Nash due to the increasing unpopularity of a leadership change among party members.
In 1953, Moohan was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.
During the intervening time he also served as the Labour Party's president between 1955 and 1960 and served as Labour's campaign manager in the successful 1957 election.
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Mick Moohan
Michael Moohan (27 April 1899 – 7 February 1967) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. Seldom known to anyone by anything other than "Mick", he was a major organisational figure in the Labour Party's early history and went on to become a significant politician in his own right as an MP and cabinet minister.
Moohan was born in Garrison, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1899, he was brought up in Manchester, England. He was apprenticed to the engineering trade. He served with the 2nd Division, Royal Engineers during World War I in France and then in the Army of Occupation, the Army of the Rhine. Returned to England where the land 'fit for heroes' didn't emerge and emigrated to New Zealand in 1922, where he joined the Labour Party. In 1923 he married Selina (Cely) Heyman who arrived from Manchester prior to his arrival; they had one son and four daughters.
After arriving in New Zealand Moohan found employment with the technical staff of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Department and was stationed in Raetihi. There he became active in support of Labour in the Waimarino County. He was elected a member of the Ohakune Borough Council from 1932 to 1935, also serving as deputy mayor. After, leaving Waimarino for Auckland, he was elected vice-president and later as secretary of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee. He joined Labour's national office as an assistant secretary in 1937, and in 1940 was elected as Labour's national secretary-treasurer.
Moohan was elected the Member of Parliament for the new electorate of Petone in 1946 and served until 1967, when he died. He fought off deputy leader Walter Nash for the Labour nomination who indicated his preference for contesting the Petone seat after an electoral redistribution occurred which made his seat of Hutt more marginal.
Moohan was described by contemporaries as a colourful character and effective debater. Attributed to his Irish upbringing he was described as a versatile speaker who could infuse almost any speech with an entertaining and effective mixture of both 'banter and bite'. Closer colleagues however also noted his underhanded and expedient nature. Nash said of him "He [Moohan] was a sly fellow, oozing bonhomie, with an instinct for low politics."
From 1947 to 1949 he was Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister. He was appointed by Peter Fraser to oversee the government's post-war state housing scheme. In 1951 he was nominated to stand for the deputy leadership of the party, but he declined the nomination. Moohan was a critic of Nash's leadership and helped organise a leadership challenge against him in 1954, though in the event switched sides and voted for Nash due to the increasing unpopularity of a leadership change among party members.
In 1953, Moohan was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.
During the intervening time he also served as the Labour Party's president between 1955 and 1960 and served as Labour's campaign manager in the successful 1957 election.
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