Michael Moohan

Early life

Moohan was born in Garrison, County Fermanagh, Ireland, in 1899, before moving to England, where he joined the Labour Party. He served in France with the British Army in World War I, and later emigrated to New Zealand in 1919. In 1923 he married Cecilia Hayman; they had one son and four daughters.

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.

Member of Parliament

He was the Member of Parliament for Petone from 1946 to 1967, when he died. 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.

Moohan Rocket

On 16 February 1960 a special ministerial train dubbed the Moohan Rocket 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 DG class locomotives, the time was somewhat disappointing. The return trip two days later behind a single DA locomotive was slightly quicker at 11 hours and 34 minutes, though the superior DA 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.

Death

Moohan died on 7 February 1967, and was buried at Taitā Lawn Cemetery.