Thomas Clifton Webb

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sir Thomas Clifton Webb KCMG (8 March 18896 February 1962) was a New Zealand politician and diplomat. He was born in Te Kopuru in the Kaipara District, studied at Auckland University College, and practised law in Dargaville. He was in the army from 1917-1919, then returned to his practice in Dargaville and was a borough councillor there from 1921-1923. He moved to Auckland in 1927 and established a new law firm there.

He sat in Parliament for the National Party from 1943 until 1954: first as an Independent National for Kaipara (1943 - 1946) and then National for Rodney (1946 - 1954). A key aide to party leader Sidney Holland, he was appointed to Attorney-General upon the Nationals gaining power in 1949.

In 1951, he took his first step into diplomacy by adding Minister for External Affairs and Minister for Island Territories to his other duties. He served as the country's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom between 1955 and 1958.

[edit] References