Frederick Doidge

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1938–1943	26th	Tauranga		National
1943–1946	27th	Tauranga		National
1946–1949	28th	Tauranga		National
1949–1951	29th	Tauranga		National

Sir Frederick Widdowson Doidge, KCMG (26 February 1884 – 26 May 1954), was a journalist in New Zealand and England, then a National Party member in the New Zealand House of Representatives.

Doidge was born in Cootamundra, New South Wales, Australia. His father was a journalist in Thames, New Zealand, but became a newspaper proprietor in Cootamundra. Frederick Doidge received his training as a journalist from his father. Doidge came to New Zealand in 1902.^[1]

In the 1935 election, Doidge ran as an Independent in the Rotorua electorate after having had a brief encounter with the anti-Labour New Zealand Democrat Party.^[1] Of the four candidates, he came second after Labour's Alexander Moncur.^[2] He represented the electorate of Tauranga for National from 1938 to 1951, when he retired.^[3]

He served as both Minister of External Affairs and Minister of Island Territories from 1950 to 1951 in the First National Government of New Zealand.^[4] Later, Doidge became New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1951 until his death. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1953 New Year Honours.^[5]

Doidge died in London on 26 May 1954 from cancer.^[1]

References

1. Waterson, D. B. "Doidge, Frederick Widdowson". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2013.
2. "General Election". The Evening Post CXX (138). 7 December 1935. p. 11. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
3. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 193. OCLC 154283103.
4. New Zealand Parliamentary Debates, Vol. 293 (1950).
5. London Gazette (supplement), No. 39735, 30 December 1952. Retrieved 28 January 2013.