Background
Moohan was born in Garrison, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1899, before moving to England, where he joined the Labour Party.
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Michael Moohan
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He served in France with the British Army in World War I, and later emigrated to New Zealand in 1919. After arriving in New Zealand Moohan became active in support of Labour in the Waimarino district. After, leaving Waimarino for Auckland, he was elected vice-president and later as secretary of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee.
He joined Labour"s national office as an assistant secretary in 1937, and in 1940 was elected as Labour"s national secretary-treasurer.
He was the Minister of Railways in the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960. During this time he also served as the Labour Party"s President between 1955 and 1960.
On 16 February 1960 a special ministerial train dubbed the made a trip from Wellington to Auckland on the North Island Main Trunk, taking 11 hours and 45 minutes, or 2½ hours less than the steam-hauled Night Limited. As the train of a brake van, three first-class cars and a Ministerial car at the rear only weighed 147 tons, and was hauled by two Directorate General class locomotives, the time was somewhat disappointing.
The return trip two days later behind a single District Attorney locomotive was slightly quicker at 11 hours and 34 minutes, though the superior District Attorney could not then run through the tunnels north of Wellington and the two DGs took over at Palmerston North.
The train reflected Moohan’s idea of a fast and comfortable intercity service later seen in the Silver Star and Silver Fern. Moohan died on 7 February 1967, and was buried at Taitā Lawn Cemetery.
Membership
He was the for Petone from 1946 to 1967, when he died.
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Born
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Died
February 7, 1967 (aged 68) -
Nationality
New Zealand -
Political Party
New Zealand Labour Party