William James Dickie (10 April 1869 – 24 June 1921) was a

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. __TOC__ Active liberal parties This is a li ...

Member of Parliament in New Zealand, and opposition Whip.

Biography

Dickie was one of six children; he was born in Cobden, Westland, on 10 April 1869 to William Dickie (who had arrived in New Zealand in the late 1850s from

Menstrie Menstrie (Scottish Gaelic: ) is a village in the county of Clackmannanshire in Scotland. It is about east-northeast of Stirling and is one of a string of towns that, because of their location at the foothill base of the Ochil Hills, are collec ...

, Scotland) and Mary Dent, who were early settlers to

Greymouth Greymouth () (Māori: ''Māwhera'') is the largest town in the West Coast region in the South Island of New Zealand, and the seat of the Grey District Council. The population of the whole Grey District is , which accounts for % of the West Coas ...

. He farmed with Arthur Ingham Dent from 1902 in Lyndhurst near Ashburton. He won the Selwyn electorate in

1911 A notable ongoing event was the Comparison of the Amundsen and Scott Expeditions, race for the South Pole. Events January * January 1 – A decade after federation, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory ...

, and again in December 1914. The electorate was abolished for the 1919 election, and he was defeated in

1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...

William Nosworthy Sir William Nosworthy (18 October 1867 – 26 September 1946) was a New Zealand politician. He briefly served as Minister of Finance and then Minister of External Affairs in the Reform Government. Biography Nosworthy stood in the el ...

standing for Ashburton. From 1916 until 1919 he was the Liberal Party's junior

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. Dickie committed suicide on 24 June 1921 at his farm in Lyndhurst; he died from a gunshot wound to the head. Dickie was buried at the Methven cemetery. He was survived by his wife, three sons, Colin, Deacon and Alan and four daughters Mary Ellen, Margaret, Catherine and Herwini.

Notes

References

* 1869 births 1921 suicides New Zealand Liberal Party MPs New Zealand politicians who committed suicide Suicides by firearm in New Zealand New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates Unsuccessful candidates in the 1919 New Zealand general election Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives People from Greymouth {{NewZealand-Liberal-politician-stub