Hall-Jones, William (1851-1936), was a former builder who served as prime minister, or premier, of New Zealand for about six weeks in 1906. During his time in office, New Zealand was a crown colony within the British Empire. Hall-Jones also held a number of Cabinet posts. From 1908 to 1912, he served as high commissioner for New Zealand in London, making him New Zealand’s highest representative in the United Kingdom.
Early life and family.
William Hall-Jones was born in Folkestone, England, on Jan. 16, 1851. His parents were William Hall-Jones, who had a furniture-making business, and Margaret Hall. As a teenager, young William’s father arranged for him to work as a clerk in a financial firm, but after several years, William decided to become a carpenter. In 1871, he moved to London, where he worked for several skilled carpenters, who taught him the trade. 
On Oct. 27, 1873, Hall-Jones married Fanny Smith. The young couple immigrated to New Zealand soon after their marriage. When they arrived in New Zealand, William dropped the hyphen from his name and used the last name “Jones.” He went back to the name “Hall-Jones” in 1890.
The couple eventually settled in Timaru, in New Zealand’s South Island, where William worked as a carpenter and later as a builder. Fanny died of cancer on Jan. 10, 1876. On May 10, 1877, William Hall Jones married Rosalind Lucy Purss. From 1878 to 1891, the couple had four daughters and two sons: Margaret Emma, Rosalind Lucy, Harriet, Fanny, William, and Frederick George. Frederick George Hall-Jones became a noted lawyer and historian.
Political career.
William Hall Jones entered politics in 1884, serving as a member of the Timaru Borough Council from 1884 to 1886 and again from 1890 to 1892. On Aug. 18, 1890, he won a special election to represent Timaru in the House of Representatives, the lower house of New Zealand’s Parliament.
Hall-Jones was elected to Parliament as an independent, but he soon joined the Liberal Party. He supported early welfare legislation to establish pensions. He also campaigned for women’s right to vote, which was granted in 1893. Hall-Jones served from 1891 to 1893 as the Liberal whip, the party member who directs and organizes the votes of other members. He resigned from the party in 1893 because he thought it had moved too slowly on important issues. He again sat in Parliament as an independent, though he still often supported the Liberals.
In 1896, Prime Minister Richard Seddon appointed Hall-Jones to his Cabinet as minister of justice. Hall-Jones soon switched to the post of minister of public works, the official responsible for highways, dams, canals, and other structures built by the government for public use. Within a few months, he was also minister of marine, the official responsible for shipping. He managed the affairs of his departments so skillfully that Seddon said of him, ”He is the best administrator I have in my cabinet.”
In 1906, Seddon traveled to Australia and asked Hall-Jones to serve as acting prime minister in his absence. Seddon died of heart failure on June 10, 1906, during the return voyage. Hall-Jones agreed to become prime minister but only until the return of Sir Joseph Ward, the senior minister in Seddon’s Cabinet, who was in London on government business. Hall-Jones served as prime minister until Aug. 6, 1906, when Ward returned and assumed the office.
Prime Minister Ward appointed Hall-Jones to his Cabinet as minister of railways. Hall-Jones also kept his assignment as minister of public works in Ward’s government. In 1907, he again served briefly as acting prime minister while Ward was overseas. Hall-Jones resigned his House seat on Oct. 29, 1908, and resigned from the Cabinet on November 30.
In December 1908, Hall-Jones became high commissioner for New Zealand in London. In 1910, he was made a knight commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George, and he became Sir William Hall-Jones. Sir William’s term as high commissioner ended in 1912. He returned to New Zealand in 1913, and Prime Minister Massey appointed him to the Legislative Council, the appointed upper house of Parliament. Hall-Jones served there until his death in Wellington on June 19, 1936.
