William Pember Reeves facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Honourable William Pember Reeves
Portrait of William Pember Reeves possibly taken when he was elected to be a member of parliament in 1887
5th High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
In office December 1896 – December 1908
Monarch	Victoria Edward VII
Prime Minister	Richard Seddon
Preceded by	Westby Perceval
Succeeded by	William Hall-Jones
1st Minister of Labour
In office 31 May 1892 – 10 January 1896
Prime Minister	John Ballance Richard Seddon
Succeeded by	Richard Seddon
9th Minister of Education
In office 24 January 1891 – 10 January 1896
Prime Minister	John Ballance Richard Seddon
Preceded by	Thomas William Hislop
Succeeded by	William Campbell Walker
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for City of Christchurch
In office 5 December 1890 – 13 February 1896
Preceded by	Constituency recreated
Succeeded by	Charles Lewis
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for St Albans
In office 26 September 1887 – 5 December 1890
Preceded by	Francis James Garrick
Succeeded by	Constituency abolished
Personal details
Born	(1857-02-10)10 February 1857 Lyttelton, New Zealand
Died	16 May 1932(1932-05-16) (aged 75) London, England
Political party	Liberal
Spouse	Magdalen Stuart Robison
Children	3, including Amber Reeves
Parents	William Reeves (father) Ellen Pember (mother)
Occupation	Lawyer and journalist
Cricket information Role Batsman Domestic team information Years Team 1879/80–1887/88 Canterbury Career statistics Competition First-class Matches 5 Runs scored 188 Batting average 20.88 100s/50s 0/1 Top score 54 Catches/stumpings 1/0 Source: ESPN Cricinfo, 22 November 2020

William Pember Reeves (born February 10, 1857 – died May 16, 1932) was an important person in New Zealand's history. He was a politician, a cricketer, a historian, and a poet. He is best known for helping to bring about many social changes in New Zealand.

Early Life and Education

William Pember Reeves was born in Lyttelton, New Zealand. His parents, William and Ellen Reeves, had moved there from Britain just before he was born in 1857. His father was also a journalist and a politician.

William went to school in Christchurch. He attended a private prep school, the local high school, and then Christ's College Grammar School until 1874. Before he became a politician, he worked as a lawyer. He was also a journalist and edited newspapers like the Canterbury Times and the Lyttelton Times.

Cricket Star

William Pember Reeves was also a talented cricketer. He played in five top-level cricket matches for the Canterbury team between 1879 and 1888. He was a batsman, which means he was good at hitting the ball. His best score was 54 runs in a match where Canterbury beat another team, Otago, by just four runs in 1883.

Becoming a Politician

Reeves became a Member of Parliament in 1887. He first represented the area of St Albans until 1890. Then, from 1890 to 1896, he represented the area of Christchurch. He was a member of the Liberal Party.

During his time in Parliament, he held several important jobs. He was the Minister of Labour from 1892 to 1896. This role meant he was in charge of laws and policies about workers. He was also the Minister of Education from 1891 to 1896, looking after schools and learning. He also served as Minister of Justice for some time.

Making a Difference in New Zealand

As Minister of Labour, Reeves introduced a very important law called the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act 1894. This law helped to settle disagreements between workers and their employers. It was a big step towards fairer working conditions in New Zealand.

He also tried to pass a law called the Undesirable Immigrants Exclusion Bill. This bill would have stopped poor people and people from Asia from moving to New Zealand. This idea was not popular with everyone, and some people even called him "Undesirable Bill" Reeves because of it.

Life in London

In 1896, Reeves left New Zealand and moved to London, England. He became the Agent General for New Zealand in London, and later the High Commissioner. These roles meant he represented New Zealand's interests in the United Kingdom. He held these positions until 1908.

While in Britain, Reeves became friends with many famous thinkers and writers. These included people like George Bernard Shaw and H. G. Wells, who were part of a group called the Fabian Society. This group worked to improve society through gradual changes.

William Pember Reeves in 1925

After his time as High Commissioner, Reeves became the Director of the London School of Economics from 1908 to 1919. This is a very famous university. He also led a committee that organized the first Universal Races Congress in London in 1911, which aimed to promote understanding between different races. From 1917 to 1931, he was the chairman of the board for the National Bank of New Zealand.

Reeves was also a writer. He wrote a history book about New Zealand called The Long White Cloud (1898). He also wrote another book, State Experiments in Australia and New Zealand (1902), and several poems.

Family Life

William Pember Reeves married Magdalen Stuart Robison in 1885. She was a feminist, which means she believed in equal rights for women. They had three children: two daughters, Amber and Beryl, and one son, Fabian. Sadly, their son Fabian died in the First World War when he was only 21 years old.

Reeves was offered a knighthood three times, but he always said no. A knighthood is a special honor given by the British monarch.

Works

• State Experiments in Australia & New Zealand. London: Grant Richards. 1902.

See also

• List of Canterbury representative cricketers