1921- . New Zealand National Party
politician, prime minister 1975-84. A
chartered accountant, he was minister of
finance 1967-72, and in 1974 replaced John
Marshall as leader of the National Party,
after the latter had been criticized as
insufficiently aggressive in opposition. He
became prime minister in 1975 and pursued
austere economic policies. He sought to
introduce curbs on trade unions, and was a
vigorous supporter of the Western alliance.
He was defeated in the general election of
1984 and was succeeded as prime minister by
the Labour Party's David Lange.