Alfred Murdoch

Alfred James (Fred) Murdoch (1877–1960) was a New Zealand politician, first as an Independent Liberal then of the United Party, and from 1943 the National Party. He was Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Mines from 1930 to 1931 in the United Government of New Zealand.

Biography

Early life

Murdoch was born in 1877 in Onehunga. He trained as a school teacher and taught at Onehunga, Northcote, Hikurangi, Mata, and Ruataka. He retired from teaching in 1919 and became a farmer, breeding Jersey cattle. For a time, he was the chairman of the New Zealand Dairy Board, and he belonged to the Chamber of Commerce in Whangarei.^[1]

Political career

New Zealand Parliament
Years	Term	Electorate
1922–1925	21st	Marsden	Independent Liberal

1928–1931	23rd	Marsden	United
1931–1935	24th	Marsden	United

1943–1946	27th	Marsden	National
1946–1949	28th	Marsden	National
1949–1951	29th	Marsden	National
1951–1954	30th	Marsden	National

Murdoch unsuccessfully contested the Marsden electorate in the 1919 election as an independent Liberal against the incumbent from the Reform Party, Francis Mander.^[1]^[2] Mander retired at the 1922 election,^[2] and Murdoch was elected.^[3] At the next election in 1925, Murdoch was defeated by William Jones of the Reform Party, but he defeated Jones in turn in 1928 when he stood for the United Party.^[4] Murdoch was Minister of Agriculture, and Minister of Mines, in the United Government under George Forbes from May 1930 to September 1931.^[5]

After two parliamentary terms, Murdoch was defeated in 1935 by James Barclay of the Labour Party.^[6] In 1943, Murdoch, now standing for the National Party, defeated Barclay and won the electorate back, and held it until he retired in 1954.^[6]

Murdoch died in 1960.^[1]

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c Gustafson 1986, p. 335.
^ ^a ^b Wilson 1985, p. 218.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 222.
^ Wilson 1985, pp. 209, 222.
^ Wilson 1985, p. 81.
^ ^a ^b Wilson 1985, pp. 182, 222.

References

Bassett, Michael (1982). Three party politics in New Zealand, 1911-1931. n.p.: Historical Publications. ISBN 0-86870-006-1.
Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wood, G.A., ed. (1996). Ministers and Members of the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)

New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Francis Mander	Member of Parliament for Marsden 1922–1925 1928–1935 1943–1954	Succeeded by William Jones
Preceded by William Jones		Succeeded by James Barclay
Preceded by James Barclay		Succeeded by Donald McKay

This article about a New Zealand National Party politician is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[FOOTNOTEGustafson1986335-1] Gustafson 1986, p. 335.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985218-2] Wilson 1985, p. 218.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985222-3] Wilson 1985, p. 222.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985209,_222-4] Wilson 1985, pp. 209, 222.

[FOOTNOTEWilson198581-5] Wilson 1985, p. 81.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985182,_222-6] Wilson 1985, pp. 182, 222.

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