Story: History

National Party campaign booklet, 1949

During the 1949 election campaign, the National Party pictured itself in booklets such as this as representing the nuclear family, the ideal social unit of those years. After winning the 1949 election, National tightened its hold on power in 1951. Prime Minister Sidney Holland asked the country to endorse his handling of the bitter waterfront strike of that year in a snap election. Listen to Holland address the nation by radio after National’s victory, alluding to the waterfront issue.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library
Reference: Eph-A-NZ-NATIONALPARTY-1949-01-cover

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

Sound file from Nga Taonga Sound & Vision, Radio New Zealand collection. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. To request a copy of the recording, contact Nga Taonga Sound & Vision (Sid Holland, 1951/Reference number CDR1163)

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How to cite this page:

John Wilson, 'History - Liberal to Labour', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/speech/1476/national-party-campaign-booklet-1949 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by John Wilson, updated 1 Apr 2020