Holyoake, << HOH lee ohk, >> Sir Keith Jacka (1904-1983), is the only person to have served as both prime minister and governor general of New Zealand. He was prime minister twice: in 1957 and from 1960 to 1972. He was governor general from 1977 to 1980. Holyoake was a member of the National Party, a conservative political party. The National Party has traditionally favored free enterprise, a system that allows people to carry out most economic activities free from government control.
Early life and family
Keith Jacka Holyoake was born on Feb. 11, 1904, at Scarborough (Mangamutu), near Pahiatua in New Zealand’s North Island. His parents, Henry Victor Holyoake and Esther Eves Holyoake, ran a small general store. In 1905, they sold the store and began farming. 
Keith’s Holyoake great-grandparents had originally settled near Motueka in the South Island in 1843. One of his grandfathers owned a farm at Riwaka, a village on the South Island’s Tasman Bay. After his grandfather died in 1913, Keith’s family moved to the farm. Keith’s father, who had long been in poor health, died in 1916. The boy left school to help work the fruit farm. He continued his education through his mother, who was a former teacher. He also took correspondence courses (lessons delivered by mail).
By the late 1920’s, Holyoake had taken over management of the farm. He represented his district of Motueka at rugby football and in agricultural organizations. He served on the executive boards of several of the organizations, including the New Zealand Tobacco Grower’s Federation and the Motueka District Fruit Exporters’ Association. He served in the New Zealand Farmers’ Union as president of the Riwaka-Motueka branch and as the Nelson provincial president. Later, Holyoake held national offices in the union.
On Sept. 24, 1934, Holyoake married Norma Janet Ingram (1909-1984), who had also grown up in Motueka. The couple had three daughters and two sons. Roger Henry Jacka was born in 1936, Peter Garden was born in 1937, Diane Flora was born in 1939, Lynley Norma was born in 1942, and Keitha Jennifer-Mary was born in 1946.
Political career
Holyoake belonged to no political party until he was approached in 1931 to run as the Reform Party’s candidate for the seat representing Motueka in the New Zealand Parliament. He lost the election, but the winning candidate, George Black, died 11 months later. In December 1932, Holyoake won an election to replace Black. At 28 years old, Holyoake also replaced Black as Parliament’s youngest member. Holyoake was a loyal supporter of Reform Party leader Gordon Coates, who soon after became minister of finance.
In Parliament, Holyoake promoted agricultural causes, especially those relating to tobacco. He was reelected in 1935. Soon afterward, the Reform Party became part of the newly formed National Party. Holyoake lost his bid for reelection in 1938, but National Party leaders regarded him as a rising star and worked hard to get him back into Parliament.
National Party leaders selected Holyoake to run for the parliamentary seat representing Pahiatua, an area with a strong National Party following. Party supporters helped him buy a sheep and cattle farm near Waitahora in Pahiatua, a few miles from where he had been born. General elections were delayed because of World War II (1939-1945). But in September 1943, Holyoake easily won the seat and reentered Parliament. He played a key role in helping his party adapt to the welfare state being established by the Labour government at the time.
In 1947, Holyoake became deputy leader of the National Party. After the party won control of Parliament in 1949, Holyoake became minister of agriculture. He gained a reputation as a good administrator and secured the support of most farmers.
Holyoake stressed the importance of farm mechanization (machine use). He also backed an “extermination policy” to eliminate much of the rabbit population that had been damaging land and crops. Holyoake negotiated new price levels for meat and dairy exports to the United Kingdom. In 1955, he oversaw the Food and Agricultural Organization conference in Rome.
Prime minister
Holyoake often acted as prime minister in the absence of Prime Minister Sidney Holland. At the August 1957 National Party Conference, Prime Minister Holland announced his intention to retire. He nominated Holyoake to take his place, and the conference endorsed Holyoake’s nomination. Holyoake became prime minister of New Zealand on September 20. However, on November 30, the National Party lost the general election to Labour. Holyoake’s brief time in office ended on December 12.
Holyoake led the National Party’s fight against the Labour government. The National Party won the next general election, and Holyoake returned as prime minister on Dec. 12, 1960. New Zealand at that time was forced to find new exports and different markets because the United Kingdom was preparing to join the trading bloc then known as the European Economic Community (EEC). Joining this bloc imposed additional regulations on trade with non-EEC nations.
Holyoake’s government also focused on civil liberties. It published a report on the disadvantages facing the country’s native Māori people. It also reduced government control of broadcasting and liberalized laws on the consumption of alcohol.
As minister of foreign affairs, Holyoake worked to establish a greater role for New Zealand in international events. He gradually came to support the United State’ involvement in the Vietnam War (1957-1975). He strongly opposed Communism, both in Vietnam and in Malaysia. He also criticized French nuclear testing in the South Pacific Ocean. Holyoake and his party won reelection in 1963, 1966, and—by a slim margin—1969.
Elizabeth II, queen of New Zealand and the United Kingdom, knighted Holyoake in 1970, making him Sir Keith Holyoake. At about that time, National Party members began encouraging him to retire. Holyoake finally resigned on Feb. 7, 1972. His deputy, Jack Marshall, replaced him as party leader and prime minister.
Later years
In late 1972, the National Party lost control of the government. In 1974, Marshall was overthrown as party leader by Holyoake’s former minister of finance, Robert Muldoon. Muldoon became prime minister in late 1975. In 1977, Muldoon named Holyoake governor general. In New Zealand, the governor general is the official representative of the British monarch.
The appointment of Holyoake as governor general was unusual. In New Zealand, the office traditionally is nonpartisan (not linked to a political party). Some critics viewed Holyoake’s appointment as a bad precedent and an abuse of power by Muldoon. Nonetheless, Holyoake’s time as governor general passed with little controversy. He retired from the office in October 1980. That year, Queen Elizabeth II made him a knight companion of the Order of the Garter, the highest order of British knighthood.
Holyoake died in Wellington on Dec. 8, 1983. A bronze statue of him, erected in 1990, stands in front of the State Services Commission Building in Wellington.
