Richard Meredith (27 January 1843 – 20 August 1918) was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. A teacher by training, he was a farmer later in his life. He lived in Canterbury and was a member of many public bodies.

Biography

Early life

Meredith was born at Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland, in 1843. He received his education at Tullow public school and was a schoolmaster for some years. Meredith emigrated to New Zealand in 1863, arriving at Lyttelton on the SS Accrington. After arriving he worked as a teacher until 1889 and then became a farmer at Cust (then known as Moeraki Downs).

Political career

He won the Ashley electorate in the 1890 general election against James Dupré Lance, and was re-elected three times. In the 1902 election, he was defeated for the replacement seat of Hurunui by Andrew Rutherford (who was also of the Liberal Party). Meredith was a temperance campaigner. Other elected positions that he held included North Canterbury Board of Education (from 1889, including chairman in 1892), and the Canterbury Land Board (since 1891). He was a member of the Technical School Committee in Christchurch and later a member of the Timaru High School board.

Family and death

On 10 April 1867, Meredith married Louisa Willis (1847–1929) at the Durham Street Wesleyan Church in Christchurch. She was the eldest daughter of James Willis (1824–1866) who was the proprietor of the Canterbury Standard. They had four sons and five daughters before his wife left him, taking all the possessions and leaving just a portrait of him behind. Historian George Macdonald described his personality as "bombastic". He died at Waimate on 20 August 1918 and was buried at Waimate Old Cemetery.