Member of Parliament
| Parliament of New Zealand | ||||
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | |
| 1890 | 10th | Timaru | Independent | |
| 1890–1893 | 11th | Timaru | Independent | |
| 1893–1896 | 12th | Timaru | Liberal | |
| 1896–1899 | 13th | Timaru | Liberal | |
| 1899–1902 | 14th | Timaru | Liberal | |
| 1902–1905 | 15th | Timaru | Liberal | |
| 1905–1908 | 16th | Timaru | Liberal | |
The death of Richard Turnbull triggered a by-election in the Timaru electorate, which was won by Hall-Jones on 18 August 1890. He represented Timaru in the House of Representatives until his resignation in October 1908. He was an Independent but had moderate, progressive views that tended to align him with John Ballance, Sir George Grey and John McKenzie.
Hall-Jones became a cabinet minister in 1896, was acting Prime Minister during the absence from the country of Richard Seddon in 1906 and formed an administration immediately after Seddon's funeral. During his brief period as Prime Minister, he was Colonial Treasurer, Minister of Labour, Minister of Education, Minister for Public Works, and Minister of Marine.
However he announced that he would only hold power until Sir Joseph Ward's return from abroad. He accepted the Railways and Public Works portfolios in the subsequent Ward administration. He succeeded William Pember Reeves as High Commissioner for New Zealand in London in December 1908, returned to New Zealand at the end of his term in 1912, and was appointed to the Legislative Council by Massey.
Hall-Jones was a mild mannered man with a fully earned reputation as an outstanding administrator.
Read more about this topic: William Hall-Jones
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