Archibald Willis

Archibald Dudingston Willis (1842–27 August 1908) was a journalist and Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. Prior to entering parliament, Willis was a newspaper proprietor for the Wanganui Herald founded by John Ballance.

Early life Willis was born in London in 1842. He spent his youth in an apprenticeship in the printer's trade. After the death of his mother, his father was also deceased, Willis sailed from England aboard the ship Dinapore and landed in Auckland in 1857. He immediately sought employment as a printer, working across in many parts of New Zealand as a journeyman, till he opened his own printing business, remaining in the business almost continuously until his death. Willis was the founder of the Hawke's Bay Herald in Hastings, but left the paper to partake in the gold rush in Otago. He received support from the constituents to keep the "Ballance tradition" alive. He was confirmed at the 1893 general election a few months later. He was defeated in 1896 by the Conservative candidate Gilbert Carson, who was proprietor of the Herald's rival newspaper the Wanganui Chronicle. Willis won the seat back for the Liberals in 1899, and was defeated again in 1905.

Willis was a supporter of the Liberal government's welfare programs under Richard Seddon. Personally, he advocated for loaning government money for state housing. Despite having similar ideologies, Willis was famous for his turbulent relationship with Seddon, the two men disliked each other which caused many arguments between the two.

In 1901, Willis attempted to address the complaints by labourers that the Industrial Conciliation & Arbitration Act was too slow by proposing the conciliation phase be removed. In what was to become known as the "Willis Blot", a clause was proposed to bypass industrial disputes straight to the Arbitration Court with the idea of hastening the process.

Death Willis died in Gisborne on 27 August 1908 from a throat infection. He was survived by his wife, six sons and four daughters.