Ward, Sir Joseph George

Ward, Sir Joseph George ( 1856 – 1930 )
New Zealand statesman. A minister of the first and successive Liberal cabinets, he provided low‐interest credit to farmers. As Prime Minister ( 1906 – 12 ) and in coalition with William Massey ( 1915 – 19 ) he supported empire unity. He won office as Prime Minister again in 1928 as head of the United Party, partly on his reputation as a ‘financial wizard’, but failed to solve the crises brought on by the Great Depression .