Frederick Flatman
Encyclopedia
Frederick Robert Flatman (1843 – 21 September 1911) was a New Zealand
Member of Parliament
of the Liberal Party
for the Pareora
and Geraldine
electorates. Born in Suffolk
, he came out of the colony on the Mary Ann in 1862.
Frederick Flatman represented the Pareora
and Geraldine
electorates for fifteen years (1893–1908) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
. He defeated Arthur Rhodes
for the Pareora electorate in 1893 by 1594 to 1377 votes. In 1908 he was defeated by Thomas Buxton (who was also of the Liberal Party) for the Ashburton electorate.
The Lyttelton Times described Frederick Flatman as a member "not of the ornamental type, but plain, blunt, possessing strong convictions, straightforward manners and simple directness of speech. He also acquired in 3 years a surprising grasp and mastery of political questions. He was certainly the best of the South Island farmer members-perhaps the best in New Zealand. He was a fine man" (Lyttelton Times, 22 September 1911).
Flatman was a successful businessman in South Canterbury. He was a storekeeper and sawmiller.(Hamer, p. 362) He died on 21 September 1911 at Woodbury near Geraldine
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
of the Liberal Party
New Zealand Liberal Party
The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...
for the Pareora
Pareora (New Zealand electorate)
Pareora was a former parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand for one electoral term in the 19th century.-History:Pareora existed from 1893 to 1896, when it temporarily replaced the Geraldine electorate....
and Geraldine
Geraldine (New Zealand electorate)
Geraldine was a former parliamentary electorate in the South Canterbury region of New Zealand that existed three times from 1875 to 1911. It was represented by six Members of Parliament.-History:...
electorates. Born in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, he came out of the colony on the Mary Ann in 1862.
Member of Parliament
Frederick Flatman represented the Pareora
Pareora (New Zealand electorate)
Pareora was a former parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand for one electoral term in the 19th century.-History:Pareora existed from 1893 to 1896, when it temporarily replaced the Geraldine electorate....
and Geraldine
Geraldine (New Zealand electorate)
Geraldine was a former parliamentary electorate in the South Canterbury region of New Zealand that existed three times from 1875 to 1911. It was represented by six Members of Parliament.-History:...
electorates for fifteen years (1893–1908) in the New Zealand House of Representatives
New Zealand House of Representatives
The New Zealand House of Representatives is the sole chamber of the legislature of New Zealand. The House and the Queen of New Zealand form the New Zealand Parliament....
. He defeated Arthur Rhodes
Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes
Arthur Edgar Gravenor Rhodes OBE was a New Zealand Member of Parliament and Mayor of Christchurch.-Life before politics:Rhodes was a lawyer in Christchurch...
for the Pareora electorate in 1893 by 1594 to 1377 votes. In 1908 he was defeated by Thomas Buxton (who was also of the Liberal Party) for the Ashburton electorate.
The Lyttelton Times described Frederick Flatman as a member "not of the ornamental type, but plain, blunt, possessing strong convictions, straightforward manners and simple directness of speech. He also acquired in 3 years a surprising grasp and mastery of political questions. He was certainly the best of the South Island farmer members-perhaps the best in New Zealand. He was a fine man" (Lyttelton Times, 22 September 1911).
Flatman was a successful businessman in South Canterbury. He was a storekeeper and sawmiller.(Hamer, p. 362) He died on 21 September 1911 at Woodbury near Geraldine
Geraldine, New Zealand
Geraldine is a town in the Canterbury Region on the South Island of New Zealand. It is about 140 km south of Christchurch, and inland from Timaru, which is 35 km to the south...
.