Richard Geoffrey Gerard CMG (4 October 1904 – 26 September 1997) was a New Zealand politician of the National Party, and a cabinet minister.
Geoff Gerard | |
|---|---|
 Gerard in 1957 | |
| 34th Minister of Lands | |
| In office 12 December 1960 – 12 December 1966 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Jerry Skinner |
| Succeeded by | Duncan MacIntyre |
| In office 26 September 1957 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Ernest Corbett |
| Succeeded by | Jerry Skinner |
| 15th Minister of Forests | |
| In office 12 December 1960 – 12 December 1966 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Eruera Tirikatene |
| Succeeded by | Duncan MacIntyre |
| In office 26 September 1957 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Sidney Walter Smith |
| Succeeded by | Eruera Tirikatene |
| 28th Minister of Marine | |
| In office 2 May 1961 – 20 December 1963 | |
| Prime Minister | Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | John McAlpine |
| Succeeded by | Jack Scott |
| In office 13 February 1957 – 12 December 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | John McAlpine |
| Succeeded by | Bill Fox |
| 7th Minister of Social Security | |
| In office 13 February 1957 – 26 September 1957 | |
| Prime Minister | Sidney Holland Keith Holyoake |
| Preceded by | Dean Eyre |
| Succeeded by | Jack Scott |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Mid-Canterbury | |
| In office 25 September 1943 – 27 September 1946 | |
| Preceded by | Mary Grigg |
| Succeeded by | Electorate abolished |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Ashburton | |
| In office 27 September 1946 – 26 November 1966 | |
| Preceded by | Electorate re-established |
| Succeeded by | Rob Talbot |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Richard Geoffrey Gerard 4 October 1904 Christchurch, New Zealand |
| Died | 26 September 1997 (aged 92) |
| Political party | National |
| Spouse |
Margaret Scott
(m. 1928; died 1988) |
| Relations | Jim Gerard (son) |
| Children | 5 |
| Profession | Farmer |
Biography
edit| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1943–1946 | 27th | Mid-Canterbury | National | ||
| 1946–1949 | 28th | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1949–1951 | 29th | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1951–1954 | 30th | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1954–1957 | 31st | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1957–1960 | 32nd | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1960–1963 | 33rd | Ashburton | National | ||
| 1963–1966 | 34th | Ashburton | National | ||
Gerard was born in Christchurch on 6 October 1904. He received his education at Christ's College and then farmed at Mount Hutt.[1][2]
On 1 August 1928, Gerard married Margaret Scott at All Saints' Church, Sumner, and the couple went on to have five children.[2][3]
Gerard represented the Canterbury electorates of Mid-Canterbury from 1943 to 1946, and then the Ashburton electorate from 1946 to 1966 when he retired.[4] He was Minister of Marine under Holland and Holyoake (1957, 1961–1963),[5] Minister of Social Security (1957) under Holland and Holyoake,[6] Minister of Lands under Holyoake (1957, 1960–1966),[7] and Minister of Forests under Holyoake (1957, 1960–1966).[7]
Outside of Parliament, Gerard was a member of the Nature Conservation Council from 1967 to 1974, and a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board from 1968 to 1980.[2]
In 1953, Gerard was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal.[2] In 1967, he was granted retention of the title The Honourable, in recognition of his term as a member of the Executive Council.[8] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, for public services, in the 1981 New Year Honours.[4][9] In 1990, he received the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal.[2]
Gerard died on 26 September 1997,[10] having been predeceased by his wife, Margaret, in 1988.[11] His son Jim followed in his footsteps, representing the Rangiora electorate from 1984.[1]
Notes
edit- ^ a b Gustafson 1986, p. 313.
- ^ a b c d e Taylor, Alister; Coddington, Deborah (1994). Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand. Auckland: New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa. p. 152. ISBN 0-908578-34-2.
- ^ "Wedding: Gerard–Scott". The Star. No. 18530. 2 August 1928. p. 13. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via PapersPast.
- ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 199.
- ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 87–89.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 87.
- ^ a b Wilson 1985, pp. 88–89.
- ^ "Retention of the title of "Honourable"" (PDF). New Zealand Gazette. No. 44. 13 July 1967. p. 1199. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ London Gazette (supplement), No. 48469, 31 December 1980. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
- ^ "Obituary – Hon. Richard Geoffrey Gerard CMG". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 564. 14 October 1997. Retrieved 9 March 2024.
- ^ "Deaths". The Press. 8 March 1988. p. 43. Retrieved 9 March 2024 – via PapersPast.
References
edit
- Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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