Hugh Watt

Infobox_Prime Minister
name=Hon. Hugh Watt
order=5^th Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand
term_start=8 December 1972
term_end=1 September 1974
primeminister=Norman Kirk
predecessor=Robert Muldoon
successor=Bob Tizard
order2=Acting Prime Minister of New Zealand
term_start2=1 September 1974
term_end2=6 September 1974
predecessor2=(Norman Kirk †)
successor2=Bill Rowling
birth_date=1912
birth_place=Australia
death_date=1980
death_place=Wellington, New Zealand
spouse=
party=Labour
constituency=Onehunga
religion=

Hugh Watt (1912 – 1980) was a Labour member of Parliament and Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1972 - 1974. He was briefly the Acting Prime Minister of New Zealand between 1 September 1974 - 6 September 1974 following the death of Norman Kirk.

He represented the electorate of Onehunga from 1953 (after a by-election) to 1975. He retired at the 1975 general election in favour of Frank Rogers.

Watt was appointed New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom effective from 22 March 1975 for three years. Controversially, he stayed on as a member of parliament and Cabinet Minister. In June 1975, Watt was asked if he was about to resign as an MP. He stated that:"If I were to resign now as a Member of Parliament [for Onehunga] it would mean that I would lose my Cabinet status and the unique position that I have as High Commissioner with Executive Council rank that gives me access to British Government Ministers." ["The Evening Post" 13 June 1975]

When Robert Muldoon's government was elected on the 29 November 1975, the incoming Prime Minister promptly fired him.

He was Australian-born, like Sir Joseph Ward and several other Labour Party founders such as Harry Holland, Michael Joseph Savage, Bob Semple and Paddy Webb.

References

* [http://www.worldstatesmen.org/New_Zealand.htm Hugh Watt profile] via World Statesmen