[1] His studies were cut short by the onset of the Great Depression and he returned home to work as a shepherd on the family farm from 1931 to 1933.

Between April 1944 and February 1945 he flew Hudson bombers and Catalina flying boats in the South Pacific campaign out of Fiji, Funafuti and Emirau.

In 1945 he developed a hearing defect which resulted in him being placed on the reserve until World War II ended due to high-tone deafness.

[10] Prime Minister Keith Holyoake allotted him fifth place in his cabinet in recognition of Shand's strong performance critiquing the Second Labour Government from 1957 to 1960.

He always made a point of knowing what went on at the location of a workplace dispute and built good working relationships with the trade union leaders at the New Zealand Federation of Labour (FOL), earning their trust and admiration for his directness and courage.

[11] Shand congratulated Muldoon, the only minister to do so on an individual basis, and promised to support him so long as he stuck to traditional conservative financial policies.

Such an outcome was unable to come to fruition following the onset of lung cancer for Shand in early 1969 when speculation surrounding Holyoake's retirement was increasing.

Shand died as a result of lung cancer on 11 December 1969,[3][1] just twelve days after being re-elected in that year's general election.

In the 1970 by-election, his son Anthony Shand stood as the National candidate to replace him, but was defeated in the greatest swing against a government since the 1935 general election.

Ironically National's shock defeat at the Marlborough by-election was one of the major factors in inducing Holyoake's eventual retirement in February 1972.