Allan Dick (politician) - Biography

Biography

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1962–1963 33rd Waitaki National
1963–1966 34th Waitaki National
1966–1969 35th Waitaki National
1969–1972 36th Oamaru National

Dick was born in 1915 at Dunedin. He received his education at Otago Boys' High School. After school, he farmed at North Otago, Kurow and then Lilybank Station at the head of Lake Tekapo in the McKenzie Country. He bought Lilybank in 1937.

In 1962, he won the 1962 Waitaki by-election, after the sudden death of the Hon. Thomas Hayman, who had been an MP from 1949. He was one of six candidates for the National nomination in this largely rural and safe National seat. He represented the Waitaki electorate to 1969, and then the Oamaru electorate from 1969 to 1972, when he was defeated.

Dick held various positions outside parliament. He was a foundation member of the Mount Cook National Park Board. For a time, he chaired the Tekapo Town Planning Committee, and he was a chairman of the Waitaki Lakes Committee. He was chairman of the Mackenzie branch of Federated Farmers. He was awarded the QSO in 1981.

His wife, Betty Dick, wrote a book High Country Family (Reed, Wellington, 1964) about their life on Lilybank Station, and the changes when he became an MP. They had four sons and one daughter.

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