Minister of Railways (New Zealand) explained

The Minister of Railways was the minister in the government responsible for the New Zealand Railways Department 1895–1981, the New Zealand Railways Corporation 1981–1993, and New Zealand Rail Limited 1990–1993. The portfolio was established in 1895, 15 years after the Railways Department was formed, and was abolished in 1993, when New Zealand Rail Limited was privatised.

Office-holders

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Alfred Cadman	24 November 1895	28 April 1899	Liberal
2	Joseph Ward	17 May 1900	13 January 1906	Liberal
3	William Hall-Jones	18 June 1906	24 May 1908	Liberal
4	John A. Millar	24 May 1908	24 August 1912	Liberal
5	Arthur Myers	25 August 1912	10 December 1912	Liberal
6	William Herries	10 December 1912	28 May 1919	Reform
7	William Massey	28 May 1919	6 December 1922	Reform
8	David Guthrie	6 December 1922	27 March 1923	Reform
9	Gordon Coates	1 April 1923	21 December 1928	Reform
10	William Taverner	7 July 1928	13 December 1930	United (Liberal)
11	Bill Veitch	13 December 1930	31 August 1931	United
12	George Forbes	19 September 1931	26 November 1935	United
13	Daniel Sullivan	26 November 1935	12 December 1941	Labour
14	Bob Semple	12 December 1941	12 December 1949	Labour
15	William Goosman	12 December 1949	7 February 1954	National
16	John McAlpine	7 February 1954	8 December 1957	National
17	Michael Moohan	8 December 1957	31 August 1960	Labour
18	John McAlpine	6 September 1960	12 December 1966	National
19	John Gordon	12 December 1966	11 December 1972	National
20	Thomas McGuigan	11 December 1972	26 July 1974	Labour
21	Ron Bailey	26 July 1974	24 August 1975	Labour
22	Colin McLachlan	24 August 1975	9 February 1981	National
23	George Gair	9 February 1981	2 November 1984	National
24	Richard Prebble	2 November 1984	5 December 1990	Labour
25	Roger Sowry	5 December 1990	19 October 1993	National

New Zealand Railways - The First 125 Years. By David Leitch and Bob Stott. Appendix two - Ministers of Railways 1895 - 1988. ISBN 0 7900 00008