Dan Riddiford

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable

|name = Dan Riddiford

|honorific-suffix = {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MC|size=100%}}

|image = Dan Riddiford.jpg

|imagesize =

|smallimage =

|alt =

|caption =

|constituency_MP2 = {{NZ electorate link|Wellington Central}}

|parliament2 = New Zealand

|term_start2 = 26 November 1960

|term_end2 = 25 November 1972

|predecessor2 = Frank Kitts

|successor2 = Ken Comber

|office3 = 21st Attorney-General of New Zealand

| primeminister3= Keith Holyoake

|term_start3 = 2 February 1971

|term_end3 = 9 February 1972

|predecessor3 = Jack Marshall

|successor3 = Roy Jack

|office4 = 34th Minister of Justice

| primeminister4= Keith Holyoake

|term_start4 = 22 December 1969

|term_end4 = 9 February 1972

|predecessor4 = Ralph Hanan

|successor4 = Roy Jack

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1914|03|11|df=y}}

|birth_place = Featherston, New Zealand

|death_date = {{Death date and age|1974|10|26|1914|03|11|df=y}}

|death_place = Wellington, New Zealand

|party = National

|spouse =

|children =

|alma_mater =

|occupation =

|profession = Lawyer

|religion =

|signature =

}}

Daniel Johnston Riddiford {{post-nominals|country=NZL|MC|size=85%}} (11 March 1914 – 26 October 1974) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.

Biography

=Early life=

Riddiford was born in Featherston in 1914 a grandson of "King" Riddiford and Sydney Johnston of Oruawharo. He was educated in the UK at Downside School, Somerset, and New College, Oxford. He gained an MA in Modern Greats from Oxford, and also an LLB from the University of New Zealand. From 1932 to 1937, he farmed in the Wairarapa on family-owned land.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=339}}

For a number of years Riddiford was also a director of The Dominion newspaper (now The Dominion Post).{{sfn|Riddiford|2004|p=}}

=Military service=

He joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1939 and was an officer with the Royal Regiment of New Zealand Artillery. He was a prisoner of war in Italy from 1941 until his escape in 1943.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=339}} He was awarded the MC in World War II.{{sfn|Riddiford|2004|p=}} From 1946, he had a law practice in Wellington.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=339}}

=Political career=

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1960}}

|end = 1963

|term = 33rd

|electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Wellington Central}}

|party = New Zealand National Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1963}}

|end = 1966

|term = 34th

|electorate = Wellington Central

|party = New Zealand National Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1966}}

|end = 1969

|term = 35th

|electorate = Wellington Central

|party = New Zealand National Party

}}

{{NZ parlbox

|start = {{NZ election link year|1969}}

|end = 1972

|term = 36th

|electorate = Wellington Central

|party = New Zealand National Party

}}

Riddiford contested the {{NZ electorate link|Petone}} electorate in the {{NZ election link|1957}},{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=339}} but was beaten by the incumbent, Labour's Michael Moohan.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=221}} In the {{NZ election link|1960}}, he stood in the {{NZ electorate link|Wellington Central}} electorate and defeated the incumbent, Labour's Frank Kitts.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|pp=211, 231}} Riddiford's win in Wellington Central was considered a surprise as the electorate had been held by Labour for the previous 42 years as well as Riddiford's rather aristocratic manner of campaigning which many thought unsuitable within an urban liberal electorate.{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|pp=84-5}} In 1970 he suffered a heart attack. Riddiford would remain in Parliament until 1972, when he retired and succeeded by Ken Comber.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=231}} Under Keith Holyoake, he was Minister of Justice (1969–1972) and Attorney-General (1971–1972).{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=90}}

Family

He married his wife, Yvonne Ada Westmacott, in 1952.{{Cite web |url=https://natlib.govt.nz/records/22421250 |title=Riddiford, Yvonne Ada, 1925- |access-date=2023-07-17 |website=natlib.govt.nz}} Earle Riddiford a notable New Zealand mountaineer and a lawyer was also a cousin.

Notes

References

{{cite book |last = Gustafson |first = Barry |author-link= Barry Gustafson |title = The First 50 Years: A History of the New Zealand National Party |year = 1986 |publisher = Reed Methuen |location = Auckland |isbn = 0-474-00177-6}}
{{cite book |last = Riddiford |first = Daniel | editor = Yvonne Riddiford |title = Committed to Escape: A New Zealand Soldier's Story |year = 2004 |publisher = Ruamahanga Press |location = Martinborough |isbn = 978-0-476-01065-9 }}
{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-date= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher= V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103}}