George Forbes (New Zealand politician)

George William Forbes PC (/fɔːrbz/; 12 March 1869 – 17 May 1947) was a New Zealand politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of New Zealand from 28 May 1930 to 6 December 1935. He was the last leader of the remnant of the Liberal Party having entered the House of Representatives in 1908 as a Radical in that Party. Forbes was a co-founder of the United Party in 1927. Later he was a founder of the New Zealand National Party in 1936 and the Party's first parliamentary leader.

Forbes was born in Lyttelton near Christchurch and he later began farming at Cheviot, North Canterbury. He became active in local politics. Forbes was first elected as a Liberal Party member of parliament in 1908 for the North Canterbury electorate of Hurunui. From the mid-1920s the Liberal Party changed its name twice and Forbes was elected leader in 1925, shortly after it had adopted the name National Party. He was the leader in 1928 when the Party changed its name to the United Party, he was again elected leader in May 1930, and he initially led the newly created National Party in 1936. His rise to power as Prime Minister was somewhat unexpected, until he became the obvious successor to an increasingly incapacitated Sir Joseph Ward in 1930. It was his misfortune to take office during the very worst period of the Great Depression. He nevertheless remained in power for over five years. Forbes headed the United–Reform coalition Government that eventually became the current day New Zealand National Party.

Often referred to as "Honest George", Forbes had a reputation for probity, considerable debating skill, a good memory, and that most essential of skills in a party leader, an ability to assess the mood of the House. A man of equable disposition and simple tastes, his courteous and friendly attitude earned him the liking and respect of parliamentarians from all sides of the House. Throughout his time in national politics his Hurunui constituents held Forbes in high regard: during his tenure as Prime Minister he would roll up his sleeves and help load sheep on the railway wagons for market. Illustrating the wide-spread sentiment about Forbes personally, even in the closing weeks of his government, Independant candidate and newspaper editor Oliver Duff opened his election campaign against Forbes in Hurunui in October 1935, telling his audience that, "Mr Forbes was precisely the kind of man most people thought he was. He had never seen a Prime Minister with less pretence or swank. He was courteous, fair, and a genuinely modest man."