26-APR-1856 :- BIRTH OF Joseph Ward , 17th Prime Minster Of New Zealand.

Sir Joseph George Ward, 
(26 April 1856 – 8 July 1930) was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.

Ward was born in Melbourne on 26 April 1856 to a Roman Catholic family of Irish descent. His father, who is believed to have been an alcoholic, died in 1860, aged 31 – Ward was raised by his mother, Hannah. In 1863, the family moved to Bluff , in New Zealand's Southland region, seeking better financial security – Hannah Ward established a shop and a boarding house.

Ward received his formal education at primary schools in Melbourne and Bluff. He did not go to secondary school. He did, however, read extensively, and also picked up a good understanding of business from his mother. He is described by most sources as highly energetic and enthusiastic, and was keen to advance in the world – much of this attitude is attributed to his mother, who was very eager to see her children financially secure. In 1869, Ward found a job at the Post Office, and later as a clerk. Later, with the help of a loan from his mother, Ward began to work as a freelance trader, selling supplies to the newly established Southland farming community.