Heaton Rhodes
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Heaton Rhodes KCVO
KBE
VD
(27 February 1861 – 30 July 1956), usually known as Sir Heaton Rhodes, was a New Zealand
politician
and lawyer
.
Rhodes was born in Purau on Banks Peninsula
, the son of sheep farmer and politician Robert Heaton Rhodes
. He came to England
to attend Brasenose College, Oxford
, from which he graduated in 1884. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple
in 1887.
He then returned to New Zealand, joined the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
, and served in the Second Boer War
with the 8th New Zealand Contingent. He later went on to command the 1st Mounted Rifles
in the New Zealand Territorial Force. After retirement he was Honorary Colonel of the 1st Mounted Rifles.
He joined the Reform Party
and represented the Ellesmere
electorate in the House of Representatives
from 1899
to 1925
, when he retired and was appointed to the Legislative Council
, in which he served until 1941, with a short break between 1932 and 1934.
He served as Postmaster-General and Minister for Public Health, Hospitals and Tourist Resorts in the Cabinet
from 1912 to 1915, when he was appointed Special Commissioner to Egypt
and Galilee
to report on the conditions of New Zealand troops serving there. In 1916 he moved to Europe as Commissioner of the New Zealand Red Cross
. For this role he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1920 New Year Honours.
In 1920 he returned to New Zealand and was appointed Minister of Defence
. In 1922 he was also appointed as Commissioner of State Forests and held both posts until 1926. From 1926 to 1928 he was Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council and Minister without Portfolio
. In 1927 he was Minister in attendance upon the Duke
and Duchess of York on their visit to New Zealand, for which he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). He was vice-president of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship in Canterbury in the 1930s.
He bred pedigree cattle at Otahuna
, Taitapu, where he also grew daffodils. A stamp collector, he had a large collection of New Zealand Chalon head
postage stamps. He was President of the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand
and signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
in 1949.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
VD
Volunteer Decoration
The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was created by Royal Warrant under command of Queen Victoria on 25 July 1892 to reward 'efficient and capable' officers of the Volunteer Force who had served for twenty years...
(27 February 1861 – 30 July 1956), usually known as Sir Heaton Rhodes, was a New Zealand
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
.
Rhodes was born in Purau on Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula
Banks Peninsula is a peninsula of volcanic origin on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It has an area of approximately and encompasses two large harbours and many smaller bays and coves...
, the son of sheep farmer and politician Robert Heaton Rhodes
Robert Heaton Rhodes
Robert Heaton Rhodes was a New Zealand politician, who represented the Akaroa electorate from 1871 to 1874, when he resigned. He was elected unopposed in 1871....
. He came to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to attend Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, Oxford
Brasenose College, originally Brazen Nose College , is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. As of 2006, it has an estimated financial endowment of £98m...
, from which he graduated in 1884. He was called to the bar by the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1887.
He then returned to New Zealand, joined the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade
The New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, consisting usually of four units of mounted infantry, fought in World War I and World War II. Initially a milita, under the instruction of Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Henry Banks they formed the core of the New Zealand Army following successful service in the...
, and served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
with the 8th New Zealand Contingent. He later went on to command the 1st Mounted Rifles
1st Mounted Rifles
The 1st Mounted Rifles was formed on March 17, 1911. They were mobilised during World War I as a squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifle Regiment...
in the New Zealand Territorial Force. After retirement he was Honorary Colonel of the 1st Mounted Rifles.
He joined the Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
and represented the Ellesmere
Ellesmere (New Zealand electorate)
Ellesmere was a parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand. It existed for two periods between 1861 and 1928 and was represented by six Members of Parliament.-Population centres:Ellesmere was a rural electorate...
electorate in the 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....
from 1899
New Zealand general election, 1899
The New Zealand general election of 1899 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 14th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 373,744 voters turned out to...
to 1925
New Zealand general election, 1925
The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
, when he retired and was appointed to the Legislative Council
New Zealand Legislative Council
The Legislative Council of New Zealand was the upper house of the New Zealand Parliament from 1853 until 1951. Unlike the lower house, the New Zealand House of Representatives, the Legislative Council was appointed.-Role:...
, in which he served until 1941, with a short break between 1932 and 1934.
He served as Postmaster-General and Minister for Public Health, Hospitals and Tourist Resorts in the Cabinet
New Zealand Cabinet
The Cabinet of New Zealand functions as the policy and decision-making body of the executive branch within the New Zealand government system...
from 1912 to 1915, when he was appointed Special Commissioner to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Galilee
Galilee
Galilee , is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee , Lower Galilee , and Western Galilee , extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the...
to report on the conditions of New Zealand troops serving there. In 1916 he moved to Europe as Commissioner of the New Zealand Red Cross
New Zealand Red Cross
The New Zealand Red Cross was created by nurse Beth Charpentier in 1914 shortly after the beginning of World War I generally for the purpose of responding to natural disasters or man-made disasters and also helping out vulnerable or needy people both in New Zealand and abroad.The organization is...
. For this role he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in the 1920 New Year Honours.
In 1920 he returned to New Zealand and was appointed Minister of Defence
Minister of Defence (New Zealand)
The Minister of Defence is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the New Zealand armed forces and the Ministry of Defence.The present Minister is Dr...
. In 1922 he was also appointed as Commissioner of State Forests and held both posts until 1926. From 1926 to 1928 he was Deputy Leader of the Legislative Council and Minister without Portfolio
Minister without Portfolio
A minister without portfolio is either a government minister with no specific responsibilities or a minister that does not head a particular ministry...
. In 1927 he was Minister in attendance upon the Duke
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and Duchess of York on their visit to New Zealand, for which he was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO). He was vice-president of the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship in Canterbury in the 1930s.
He bred pedigree cattle at Otahuna
Otahuna
Otahuna is the former homestead of the lawyer, runholder, stock breeder, politician, horticulturist, philatelist and philanthropist Sir Heaton Rhodes...
, Taitapu, where he also grew daffodils. A stamp collector, he had a large collection of New Zealand Chalon head
Chalon head
The Chalon Head is the name of a number of postage stamp series whose illustration was inspired by a portrait of Queen Victoria by Alfred Edward Chalon ....
postage stamps. He was President of the Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand
Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand
The Royal Philatelic Society of New Zealand is an international society for collectors of the postage stamps and postal history of New Zealand and her Dependencies....
and signed the Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
Roll of Distinguished Philatelists
The Roll of Distinguished Philatelists is a philatelic award of international scale, created by the Philatelic Congress of Great Britain in 1921...
in 1949.
Awards
- Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(Great Britain) -
Chevalier de la Légion d'HonneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France)