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Peter Fraser N E \V z_E A L A N D S T U D I E S 1!!J BOOK 'RJVIEW by SiiiiOII sheppard Peter Fraser: Master Politician Fraser made more important decisions in more interesting times Margaret Clark (Ed), The Dunmore Press, 1998, $29.95 than Holyoake ever did. ARL!ER THIS YEAR I con­ International Relations at Victoria Congratulations are due to the E ducted a survey among University, the book is derived from organisers of the conference for academics and other leaders in their a conference held in August 1997, their diligence in assembling a fields asking them to give their part of a series being conducted by roster of speakers capable of appraisal of New Zealand's providing such a broad Prime Ministers according spectrum of perspectives on to the extent to which they Fraser. This multi-faceted made a positive contribu­ approach pays dividends in tion to the history of the that it reflects the depth of country. From the replies I Fraser's character and the was able to establish a breadth of his contribution to ranking of the Prime New Zealand history. Ministers, from greatest to The first three phases of least effective. Fraser's political career are It was no surprise that discussed; from early Richard Seddon finished in socialist firebrand, to key first place. But I was lieutenant in the first Labour intrigued by the runner up. Government, to wartime It was not the beloved Prime Minister and interna­ Michael Joseph-Savage, nor tional statesman at the the inspiring Norman Kirk, founding of the United or the long serving Sir Keith Nations. Perhaps missing Holyoake. It was Peter was some focus on a depic­ Fraser. His statue now tion of, and explanation for, stands nearby Seddon's, in the final phase of his career, the garden of the Victoria the increasing conservatism University Law School, of his last term of office, facing the Parliament to A portrait, by Knrsh of Ottawa, presellted to Peter Fraser by particularly his relationship which he dedicated so the Polish 1/lelllbers of the Australnsiall-Polish Society ill with the trade union move- much of his life. 1944, with the i11scription : 'We express our deep a11d most ment. This was a more The respect in which sill cere gratitude for your gellerous help to Polish children significant aspect of his Fraser was held by the durillg the 111ost tragic ti111e ill our history' legacy than the nature of his respondents to my survey is relationship with John A. confirmed by the contribu- Lee, the subject of a chapter tors to a new biography, Peter the Stout Research Centre apprais­ by Erik Olssen. Fmser: Master Politician, the first ing the contribution of key political As is common in a forum such serious trea tment of the subject leaders to New Zealand history. It as that provided by the Stout Centre since the book by James Thorn in makes a better read than the book of conference, the most fascinating 1952. Edited by Margaret Clark of the first conference, devoted to Sir contributions were made by con­ the School of Political Science and Keith Holyoake, simply because temporaries of Fraser who provided Vol 8 No Septe111ber 1998 25 NEW z_EALAND STUDIES first hand accounts of their personal the same without )a net' helps on the origins of his early radical­ experiences li ving and working emphasise the simple humanity ism provides a sneak preview of the with him. Martyn Finlay, who underlying his beliefs and decisions. major biography of Fraser which he served in caucus with Fraser during The other chapters are more began and Michael Basset! (another his last term as Prime Minister, talks conventional historical accounts. contributor to this book) will finish. of Fraser the politician. Colin Some of them rely heavily on Peter Fra ser: Master Politician is a Aikman and Tom Larkin, officials reports written by one contempo­ pleasant synthesis of a wide variety who travelled with him on diplo­ rary source being brought to light. of perspectives on Fraser and a very matic missions overseas, describe This is especially noticeable in useful addition to New Zealand's Fraser the statesman. Alice Kemp Michael Ashby's contribution on political and historical literature. It Fraser, Peter Fraser's grand-step­ Fraser's foreign policy and Brian could be used as a source for daughter, depicts Fraser the family Easton's rather scrappy chapter on research on a specific aspect of his man (according to her, the Prime Fraser and the development of the career but, unusually for the genre, Minister of New Zealand had one nation-building state. There is a it is very easy to read. In portraying gla ss eye. Imagine that being kept a well-balanced presentation of the man it is in total greater than the secret today 1). Supporting this is a Fraser's accomplishments in sum of its parts. It should appeal to chapter by Hilary Stace noting the separate chapters describing his both the specialist and the general contribution made by Fraser's wife contribution to education policy reader. <S' janet to his career. This helps us (William Renwick), his attitude peek behind the fa~ade of the dour, towards advancing Maori interests SIMON SHEPPARD is a resident austere, even cold figure history (Claudia Orange), and his achieve­ researcher in the School of Political usually presents to us of Fraser. The ments as war-time Prime Minister Science and International Relations, simple statement that 'he was never ([an Wards). Michael King's chapter Victoria University of Wellington. ./, COMMENTARY by Brian Easton Remembering Peter Fraser hardly touched by the fact that Lee seems to have been a monetary This paper was originally given at a New Zea land Book Council seminar 011 'Peter reformer rather than a socialist). My Frn ser: Master Politicia11', 29 July, 1998. attitude- indeed that of much of HERE IS AN EASTON family My father seems to have dis­ my generation- was even more T tradition that when Peter tanced himself from Fraser. I think formed by what was seen to be a Fraser was a carpenter in Auckland, it was probably the expulsion of second betrayal, the conscription he stayed with my great-grandfa­ John A. Lee from the Labour Party. referendum. But as David Grant ther w hen he came to Wellington on Erik Olssen's contribution to Peter shows, Fraser was never a classic Red Fed business. Perhaps it is an Frnser: Master Politician is histori­ conscientious objector despite being exaggeration: he might have stayed ca ll y accurate- distinguishing itself jailed during the First World War. once, or called in on a visit. The from much of the other commen­ And to round the in tergenera tional connection seems to have con­ tary. Perhaps historicity has long story off, I asked my son 'who was tinued, for the tradition claims that been irrelevant, for the expulsion Peter Fraser?'. He replied 'is this a as Prime Minister Fraser attended has the mythical status of the trick question?', thought a bit, and my grandfather's funeral. Fraser moment when Labour chose a path asked eau tiousl y 'was he a Prime was a regular attender of funerals of cooperation with capitalism, Minister?'. Thus in five generations so that is possible too. rather than of socialism (a myth of the Easton family Fraser cycled 26 Vol 8 No 2 September 1998 .
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