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Bailey, Ronald Leslie, M P, J P.
Biography
BiographyInformation taken from a May 9, 2015 'Dominion Post' obituary by Tom Fitzsimmons and a May 13 'Leader' obituary with details from daughter Ann Chesterfield.
Ron Bailey grew up in a string of works camps in the central North Island; Kotemaori camp accommodation was two conjoined tents; wooden floors, corrugated-iron fireplace, no sink or bath; kerosene lighting.
Four different primary schools, then Wairoa District High School and Gisborne High School.
After WWII moved to Mangaroa.
1950; married Shirley McNeill after a blind date. At first they lived in workers' sheds alongside the Hutt River.
1956; organiser for New Zealand Workers Union, including visiting shearers working in appalling conditions on lower North Island farms.
1958; a win on a horse race provided the deposit for a house in Brown Owl.
1960; ran for Parliament; succeeded Philip Holloway, Heretaunga. At least initially, he could not afford a car, and rode a bicycle around the electorate.
Six years as Labour junior whip, deputy Speaker (he claimed to be the only Speaker to have ousted National leader Robert Muldoon).
Eighteen of his 21 years in Parliament were as a member of the Opposition, which provided 'a brick wall of frustration'.
1975 election results; Bailey 45.9%; Cameron, National, 43.2%; Fowlds, Social Credit, 5.9%; Overton, Values, 5.0%.
He was Chairman of Committees from 16 February 1973 until 10 September 1974, Minister of Railways in the third Labour government and Minister of Electricity from 10 September 1974 to 12 December 1975.
Shirley died of cancer on December 28, 1976, at Calvary Hospital, Wellington
1977; ran Mangere by-election campaign for new member of Parliament David Lange (later, Prime Minister); met Mrs Barbara McDonald, who was the electorate secretary for Roger Douglas.
1978 election; first, with 50.3%; John Ward, National, 34.7%; Shane Kelly, Social Credit, 11.3%; Myra Harpham, Values, 3.7%.
1979; on the 13 July Ron married Barbara. The ceremony was in the Grosvenor Lounge, Geange Street, and was described in the July 24 'Leader'. It was conducted by the Reverend Russell Marshall, M P for Wanganui; the leader of the Opposition, Bill Rowling, and his wife were among Labour representatives present. The honeymoon to Rarotonga had to be changed to Fiji when the Rarotonga flight moved from a Saturday to a Friday; the day of the wedding.
1981; retired from Parliament, and later moved to Auckland; formally farewelled at an April 3 social and dance at St John's Church hall.
In the late 1980s he was a member of the Backbone Club, supporting Roger Douglas's proposals for reforming the Labour Party and opposing its left wing.
After trying selling real estate, while reluctant to encourage people to borrow, he and Barbara set up an artisanal chocolate business which returned a modest income but never succeeded; he eventually became an Accident Compensation Corporation review officer.
He retired at 66.
He had heart and hip operations and with intensive management lived with diabetes for 38 years; far longer than the 'little time' first predicted.
Ron Bailey grew up in a string of works camps in the central North Island; Kotemaori camp accommodation was two conjoined tents; wooden floors, corrugated-iron fireplace, no sink or bath; kerosene lighting.
Four different primary schools, then Wairoa District High School and Gisborne High School.
After WWII moved to Mangaroa.
1950; married Shirley McNeill after a blind date. At first they lived in workers' sheds alongside the Hutt River.
1956; organiser for New Zealand Workers Union, including visiting shearers working in appalling conditions on lower North Island farms.
1958; a win on a horse race provided the deposit for a house in Brown Owl.
1960; ran for Parliament; succeeded Philip Holloway, Heretaunga. At least initially, he could not afford a car, and rode a bicycle around the electorate.
Six years as Labour junior whip, deputy Speaker (he claimed to be the only Speaker to have ousted National leader Robert Muldoon).
Eighteen of his 21 years in Parliament were as a member of the Opposition, which provided 'a brick wall of frustration'.
1975 election results; Bailey 45.9%; Cameron, National, 43.2%; Fowlds, Social Credit, 5.9%; Overton, Values, 5.0%.
He was Chairman of Committees from 16 February 1973 until 10 September 1974, Minister of Railways in the third Labour government and Minister of Electricity from 10 September 1974 to 12 December 1975.
Shirley died of cancer on December 28, 1976, at Calvary Hospital, Wellington
1977; ran Mangere by-election campaign for new member of Parliament David Lange (later, Prime Minister); met Mrs Barbara McDonald, who was the electorate secretary for Roger Douglas.
1978 election; first, with 50.3%; John Ward, National, 34.7%; Shane Kelly, Social Credit, 11.3%; Myra Harpham, Values, 3.7%.
1979; on the 13 July Ron married Barbara. The ceremony was in the Grosvenor Lounge, Geange Street, and was described in the July 24 'Leader'. It was conducted by the Reverend Russell Marshall, M P for Wanganui; the leader of the Opposition, Bill Rowling, and his wife were among Labour representatives present. The honeymoon to Rarotonga had to be changed to Fiji when the Rarotonga flight moved from a Saturday to a Friday; the day of the wedding.
1981; retired from Parliament, and later moved to Auckland; formally farewelled at an April 3 social and dance at St John's Church hall.
In the late 1980s he was a member of the Backbone Club, supporting Roger Douglas's proposals for reforming the Labour Party and opposing its left wing.
After trying selling real estate, while reluctant to encourage people to borrow, he and Barbara set up an artisanal chocolate business which returned a modest income but never succeeded; he eventually became an Accident Compensation Corporation review officer.
He retired at 66.
He had heart and hip operations and with intensive management lived with diabetes for 38 years; far longer than the 'little time' first predicted.
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Details
Date of Birth15th December 1926Place of BirthNapierDate of Death16th April 2015Place of DeathAucklandPlace of BurialAucklandSexMaleEthnicityEuropean
Place of BirthNapierDate of Death16th April 2015Place of DeathAucklandPlace of BurialAucklandSexMaleEthnicityEuropeanMarriage
Marriage
Family
ChildAnn (Chesterfield)Graham
GrahamBailey, Ronald Leslie, M P, J P. (July 13 or 20(?) 1979). Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 04/04/2026, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/23948/1000