Thomas Clifton Webb

Sir Thomas Clifton Webb KCMG (8 March 1889 – 6 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.

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years Term Electorate Party
1943–46 27th Kaipara Ind. National
1946 Changed allegiance to: National
1946–49 28th Rodney National
1949–51 29th Rodney National
1951–54 30th Rodney National

He sat in Parliament from 1943 until 1954: first as an Independent National MP for Kaipara (1943–1946) and then as the National Party MP 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.

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