Alexander Young

Alexander Young unveiled the Aotea Waka in Pātea on 2 August 1933 as Minister of Internal Affairs, a position he held from 28 January 1933 to 6 December 1935 in the United Government (coalition between Reform and United parties).

Born in Auckland and trained as a dentist, Young entered politics at the age of 22. He was elected to the Hamilton Borough Council and held the mayoralty of Hamilton from 1909 to 1912.

As a Reform Party candidate he won the Waikato electorate from 1911 to 1922, and then the Hamilton electorate from 1922 to 1935.

In 1935, Young was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order and was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

He died in 1956 and was buried at the Hamilton East Cemetery.