FORMER MINISTER OF JUSTICE DIES

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33676, 28 October 1974, Page 2

FORMER MINISTER OF JUSTICE DIES

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 27.

A former Minister of Justice and National member of Parliament for Wellington Central, Mr Daniel Johnston Riddiford, has died, aged 60.

Mr Riddiford was born al Featherston in 1914, the son of a well-known pioneering family which farmed in Wairarapa.

He was educated at Hurworth School, and then in Britain at Downside School and Oxford, where he graduated M.A. with honours. He spent a year in chambers in the Inner Temple in London.

When World War II broke out, he joined the New Zealand Army, was commissioned in the artillery, and sailed in 1940 to Egypt. He served in Greece and in the Western Desert, being promoted to captain. Taken prisoner at Sini Rezegh, in Libya, in 1941, Captain Riddiford escaped from Austria and crossed ■ the mountains into Jugoslavia. He helped organise and lead a band of 90 British former prisoners to the Adriatic Sea, then sailed across the Adriatic with his group and joined the British in southern Italy. He was awarded the Military Cross.

After the war. Mr Riddiford was admitted as a bar-

rister and solicitor and joined a Wellington legai firm.

Mr Riddiford’s participation in politics began in 1955 when he was elected deputy chairman of the National Party for the Pet me electorate. He stood unsuccessfully for Petone in the 1957 election, but in 1960, he won Wellington Central. Mr Riddiford held the seat through subsequent elections.

Mr Riddiford was appointed Minister of Justice at the end of 1969, and con-i tinued to hold this position and that of Attorney-General (from January 1971) until February 8, 1972, when he announced his retirement from Cabinet for health reasons.

In May, 1972, Mr Riddiford retired from politics. From late 1968, when he: suffered a heart attack and i spent some time in Calvary, Hospital, Mr Riddiford | worked under the threat of coronary troubles. A Requiem Mass will ba ; celebrated at the Church of I I St Antonio, Eastbourne, at 110 a.m. on Tuesday. PAL’s TRIBUTE The Prime Minister (Mr j Rowling) said in Picton: yesterday that “Mr Riddiford gave of his ability, time, and effort to the public, and no doubt, the stresses of Ministerial life were a contributing factor to his ill health and premature death.” “The death of Daniel Rid- ; diford will be a great shock

to all of his former Parliamentary colleagues,” the Leader of the Opposition (Mr Muldoon) said in Auckland. “He brought to Parliament a high intelligence and sense of moral values from which he never deviated, and which were an inspiration to his colleagues. “His work in the cause of Catholic education was outstanding and effective. Asi 'Minister of Justice, his firm (adherence to principle was' 'an outstanding characterjistic,” said Mr Muldoon. “GREAT COURAGE” Sir John Marshall, the (member of Parliament for 'Karori and a former Prime (Minister, described Mr Riddiford as a remarkable man i with deep qualities which were not always apparent on ithe surface. ; “Daniel Riddiford had igreat courage, determination, land initiative, which was shown not only by his i impressive war record, but ealso his political career,” ’lsaid Sir John.

“There he started in hopeless electorates, and went on to win from Labour the crucial seat of Wellington Central, which he held for 12 years.

“As a member of Parliament, he developed qualities of tenacity and persistence and a humane concern for people. He was a champion for the Catholic schools. He had a scholarly mind„ and; i understood the philosophy of 'politics better than most,” said Sir John. j