Ernest Corbett
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Ernest Bowyer Corbett (7 May 1898 – 15 June 1968) was a New Zealand National Party politician.


Early life and family

Corbett was born in
Ōkato Ōkato is a small town in rural Taranaki, New Zealand. It is situated about 25 minutes drive around the coast from New Plymouth on New Zealand State Highway 45, State Highway 45. Ōakura is 12 km to the north-east, and Warea, New Zealand, ...
in 1898; his father was William Corbett. His mother was descended from Thomas Hansen, who had come to New Zealand with
Samuel Marsden Samuel Marsden (25 June 1765 – 12 May 1838) was an English-born priest of the Church of England in Australia and a prominent member of the Church Missionary Society. He played a leading role in bringing Christianity to New Zealand. Marsden w ...
in 1814 in the brig ''Active''. He received his education at Puniho pa and at Okato state school. In 1922, he married Doris E. Sharp, the daughter of A. Sharp. He worked for the Post and Telegraph Department for six years, followed by four years in a dairy factory, and then as a dairy farmer.


Public offices

Corbett was the director of the National Dairy Association for six years. He was with the Oxford Dairy Company for 26 years and the Dairy Insurance Company for 12 years. For 12 years, he was a warden for the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
. Corbett held the Egmont electorate from 1943 to 1957. He was
Minister of Māori Affairs Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
, Minister of Lands and Minister of Forests in the First National Government. As Māori Affairs Minister he worked closely with
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
statesman Āpirana Ngata, and spent much of his time implementing "Ngata’s policies". In 1953, Corbett was awarded the
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal () is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953. Award This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir from the Queen to members of the Royal Family ...
. Corbett had a deep affection for the natural environment and was an honorary ranger for
Egmont National Park Egmont National Park, officially known as Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki, is a national park located south of New Plymouth, close to the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. The park covers three volcanic cones: Taranaki Maunga and its sl ...
. He was made a life member of the Royal Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. During his time as a cabinet minister, the National Parks Act 1952 was passed. During his time in office, some were added to
national parks A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
. For his contributions, he was awarded the Loder Cup in 1958, an award given to those who have made "contributions to plant conservation work in New Zealand". Corbett fell ill and, according to Wilson (1985), retired at the end of the parliamentary term on 29 October 1957, or, according to his biographer, in September 1957, shortly before his government's defeat. He died on 15 June 1968. In April 2010 it was alleged by Muru Walters that in 1956 Corbett told the
Māori All Blacks The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing is ...
to deliberately lose to the
Springboks The South Africa national rugby union team, commonly known as the Springboks (colloquially the Boks, Bokke or Amabhokobhoko) is the country's national team governed by the South African Rugby Union. The Springboks play in green and gold jersey ...
"for the future of rugby"; however, several other players in the team contradict Walters' accusation and state Corbett never asked them to deliberately throw the game. The Māori team lost 37–0. This was followed by Walters calling for the government to apologise for the way it treated Māori rugby players. As Minister he promoted th
Māori Purposes Act 1950
which allowed land to be leased compulsorily and sold for arrears of rates. He wrote to Raglan County Council that, "I am firmly of the opinion that if other County Councils take advantage of the provisions of the Act, as your Council is doing, the problem of idle and unproductive Māori land will soon be on its way to a complete solution". Raglan, Kāwhia, and Waitomo councils had orders enforced on of Māori land. The popular left hand break surf access at Waikeri (Manu Bay) was among areas with rate arrears sold to Raglan County Council.


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References

* * , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Corbett, Ernest New Zealand National Party MPs Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand 1898 births 1968 deaths Rugby union controversies Māori All Blacks Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates 20th-century New Zealand politicians