Frederick Robert Flatman (1843 – 21 September 1911) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament of the Liberal Party for the Pareora and Geraldine electorates.

Early life

Flatman was born in Suffolk in 1843 and went to school in Oulton Broad. He came to Lyttelton on the Mary Ann in 1862 and went to South Canterbury. He was a successful businessman, and was storekeeper in Geraldine and Woodbury, and a sawmiller, before he concentrated on farming.

Member of Parliament

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. From 1904 to 1906 Flatman served as the Liberal Party's senior whip. In 1908 he was defeated by William Nosworthy for the Ashburton electorate in the second ballot. 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."

Death

He died on 21 September 1911 at Woodbury near Geraldine.

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