Richard Moore (7 March 1849 – 12 September 1936) was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand and Mayor of Kaiapoi.[1]
Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1890–1893 | 11th | Kaiapoi | Independent | ||
1896–1899 | 13th | Kaiapoi | Independent |
Moore was born in London on 7 March 1849, the son of shoemaker John Moore and his wife Ann.[2] He left England with his family on the Steadfast in February 1851, which arrived in Lyttelton on 8 June of that year.[3][4] The family settled in Kaiapoi.[5] At 21, he set himself up as a coachbuilder and wheelwright. Later on, he added saddlery to his business. When he sold the business he bought a shareholding in the Kaiapoi Produce Company and later became its sole owner. He was a large shareholder in the Kaiapoi Woollen Company.[6]
Moore chaired the school committee for 14 years. He was a member of the Kaiapoi Borough Council for eight years and was Mayor of Kaiapoi from 1884 to 1887.[6][7] He was chairman of the Waimakariri Harbour Board.[6]
In the 1887 election, he unsuccessfully contested the Kaiapoi electorate against Edward Richardson.[8] He represented Kaiapoi from 1890[9][10] to 1893, when he was defeated,[11] and from 1896 to 1899, when he was again defeated.[12]
Moore was conjointly elected onto the Lyttelton Harbour Board by the boroughs of Kaiapoi and Rangiora in February 1905.[13] He was chairman of the harbour board from 7 May 1913[14] until 5 May 1915.[15]
He was appointed to the Legislative Council on 14 July 1914. He was twice re-appointed and served until 13 July 1935.[16] In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[17]
Moore died in 1936 at his home in the Christchurch suburb of Cashmere,[18] and was buried at Kaiapoi Cemetery.[7]