Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 20, 2026

Mayor of Masterton

The mayor of Masterton is the head of the municipal government of Masterton, New Zealand, and presides over the Masterton District Council. The mayor is directly elected using First Past the Post. The mayor is assisted by the deputy mayor of Masterton.

Last revised
Jun 20, 2026
Read time
≈ 4 min
Length
860 w
Citations
34
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Mayor of Masterton
Coat of arms of Masterton
Incumbent
Bex Johnson1
since 2025
StyleHis/Her Worship
Term lengthThree years
Inaugural holderR. G. Williams
Formation1877
DeputyCraig Bowyer
Salary$133,5302
WebsiteOfficial website

The mayor of Masterton is the head of the municipal government of Masterton, New Zealand, and presides over the Masterton District Council. The mayor is directly elected using First Past the Post. The mayor is assisted by the deputy mayor of Masterton.

The current mayor is Bex Johnson, elected in October 2025.1

List of mayors

Name Portrait Term
1 Robert Williams 1877–1878
2 Duncan McGregor 1878–1879
3 Edwin Feist 1879–1880
4 Alfred Renall 1880–1881
5 Alfred Bish 1881–1883
6 William Lowes 1883–1884
7 Myer Caselberg 1884–1887
(4) Alfred Renall 1887–1889
8 George Heron 1889–1890
9 Charles Aylmer Pownall 1890–1893
(8) George Heron 1893–1896
(9) Charles Aylmer Pownall 1896–1898
(8) George Heron 1898–1899
(9) Charles Aylmer Pownall 1899–1902
10 Phillip Luscombe Hollings 1902–1903
11 James Moore Coradine 1903–1904
12 Joseph Renall 1904–1907
(11) James Moore Coradine 1907–1908
(10) Phillip Luscombe Hollings 1908–1910
(11) James Moore Coradine 1910–1919
(12) Joseph Renall 1919–1921
13 Orlando Pragnell 1921–1925
14 Thomas Jordan 1925–1944
15 William Kemp 1944–1953
16 Archibald Keir 1953
17 Ted Coddington 1953–1955
18 Bill Marchbank 1955–1962
19 Norm Tankersley 1962–1974
20 Frank Cody 1974–1986
21 Bob Francis 1986–20073
22 Garry Daniell 2007–20134
23 Lyn Patterson 2013–20225
24 Gary Caffell 2022–2025
25 Bex Johnson 2025–present1

List of deputy mayors

Name Term Mayor
Alexander Hogg fl.19026 Pownall
Joseph Renall fl.1902–190378 Hollings
Coradine
E. G. Eton 19049 Renall
Edwin Feist 1906–190710
Edward McEwen 1907–?11 Coradine
Unknown c. 1907–c. 1912 –
J. Elliot fl.191212 Coradine
F. W. Temple 1913–191913
William Candy ?–192114 Renall
F. W. Temple 1921–192415 Pragnell
Unknown 1924–c. 1935 –
W. L. Free ?–193516 Jordan
William White 1935–194417
Joseph Ninnes 1944–19471819 Kemp
Archibald Keir fl.1947–19522021
Unknown c. 1952–1989 –
John McDonald 1989–19952223 Francis
Rod McKenzie 1995–20042425
Garry Daniell 2004–20072627
Jane Terpstra 2007–20132829 Daniell
Graham McClymont 2013–202230 Patterson
Bex Johnson 2022–202531 Caffell
Craig Bowyer 2025–present32 Johnson
References

References

  1. "2025 Triennial Elections Declaration of Result" (PDF). Electionz. Retrieved 18 October 2025.
  2. Edmunds, Susan (13 June 2024). "How much your local council gets paid". RNZ. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  3. "LUSH~talks to retiring Masterton mayor Bob Francis about stepping down after 21 years in the job – Audio Player – Audio". RadioLIVE.co.nz. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  4. "Daniell makes mayor – Wairarapa Times Age – Wairarapa Times-Age News". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  5. "First woman mayor of Masterton – Wairarapa Times Age – Wairarapa Times-Age News". Nzherald.co.nz. Retrieved 28 March 2015.
  6. "Mr. Leslie Reynolds". Wanganui Chronicle. 1 May 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 6 April 2026.
  7. "Arbor Day". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XXVI, no. 7210. 18 July 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  8. "The Rifle Champions". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XXVII, no. 7409. 13 March 1903. p. 2. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  9. "Borough Council". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XXVIII, no. 7777. 22 June 1904. p. 7. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  10. "Masterton Borough Council". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. LV, no. 8606. 14 November 1906. p. 5. Retrieved 23 December 2025.
  11. "Local and General". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. LVI, no. 8717. 27 March 1907. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  12. "Municipal Management". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. LXIV, no. 11421. 31 July 1912. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  13. "Local and General". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. LXV, no. 11862. 23 December 1913. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  14. "Lansdowne Amalgamation". Wairarapa Age. 12 January 1921. p. 5. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  15. "Obituary". The Evening Post. Vol. CXX, no. 154. 27 December 1935. p. 9.
  16. "Anzac Day". Wairarapa Age. 24 April 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2025.
  17. "Local Body Poll". Wairarapa Times-Age. 22 February 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  18. "Mayor & Councillors". Wairarapa Times-Age. 8 June 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 21 December 2025.
  19. "Tribute Paid". Wairarapa Times-Age. 12 November 1947. p. 6. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  20. "Page 7 Advertisements Column 1". Wairarapa Times-Age. 9 December 1947. p. 7. Retrieved 16 June 2026.
  21. "Hatepe Letter". Taupo Times. 23 July 1952. p. 6. Retrieved 14 December 2025.
  22. Bonallack, Andrew (28 September 2013). "Community stalwart dies after a long illness". The New Zealand Herald. Wairarapa Times-Age. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  23. "Masterton's 'tourist standard' tip hardly a dump". The Press. 31 May 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 12 December 2025.
  24. "Deputy set for the sack". The New Zealand Herald. Wairarapa Times-Age. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  25. "McKenzie decides 30 years is enough". The New Zealand Herald. Wairarapa Times-Age. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  26. "New deputy confirmed for Masterton district". The New Zealand Herald. Wairarapa Times-Age. 28 October 2004. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  27. Katterns, Tanya (9 October 2010). "Masterton mayor hangs on". Stuff. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  28. Moir, Jo (1 November 2007). "Daniell takes the reins with Terpstra as deputy". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  29. "Masterton District Council Annual Report 2013/2014". Masterton District Council. 20 October 2014. Retrieved 10 December 2025.
  30. Hooks, Kelli (25 October 2013). "McClymont made deputy mayor of Masterton". NZ Herald. Wairarapa Times-Age. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  31. "Annual Report 2022-23". Masterton District Council. 19 December 2023. Retrieved 30 November 2025.
  32. Teodoro, Sue (29 October 2025). "Craig, Grace and Rob: Wairarapa's three new deputy mayors". The Post. Retrieved 30 November 2025.