Richard Mayson

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For the British author and wine expert, see Richard Mayson (writer).

Charles Richard Mayson (born 13 October 1941), generally known as Richard Mayson, is a former New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Biography[]

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1972–1975 37th Hastings Labour

Mayson was born in Nelson in 1941, the son of Charles Samuel Mayson.[1][2] He received his education at Nelson Central School, Nelson College, and Hastings Boys' High School. On 8 February 1964, he married Shirley Annette Schofield, the daughter of Edward Schofield. They had one son and one daughter.[1]

After school, Mayson worked as a farm hand (1957–1959), a labourer (1959–1960), a salesman and window display artist (1960–1964), and a radio salesman (1965–1970). He was a New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation (NZBC) advertising executive in 1970 and 1971, and a lay preacher in the Methodist Church.[1]

He joined the Labour Party in his youth and was a member and delegate from the party's Grey Lynn branch and later was secretary of the Porirua branch.[3] He was a radical Christian socialist.[4]

Mayson represented the Hastings electorate from 1972 to 1975, when he was defeated by National's Bob Fenton.[5] He had previously stood unsuccessfully for Hastings in the 1969 election. During the 1975 election campaign Mayson received a threatening letter containing a live .22 caliber round, the third time he had received such a letter. The third letter stated "We've had enough of your kind of Commie lot [Labour] ... you're selling out on democracy and you will be the first to get a .308 through your stomach." Mayson made a complaint to the police.[6]

After losing his seat in Parliament he travelled to Tanzania to visit former parliamentary colleague Phil Amos who was living there. Mayson commented that Amos was living the life of a 20th-century version of David Livingstone.[7]

Mayson was awarded the New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal. For his recreation, he enjoys tennis, squash, swimming, reading, and spending time with his family.[1]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Traue 1978, p. 193.
  2. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 219.
  3. ^ "21 new members in House". The Press. 27 November 1972. p. 3.
  4. ^ Trotter, Chris (10 February 2017). "Labour's broad church still got strong support". The Timaru Herald. p. 6.
  5. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 195, 219.
  6. ^ "Bullet, threats for Labour hopeful". The Auckland Star. 28 November 1975. p. 2.
  7. ^ Schouten, Hank (14 June 2007). "Politician turned into a Dr Livingstone". The Dominion Post. p. B7.

References[]

  • Mayson, Richard (2016). Not So Silent: The Life of Richard Mayson. New Zealand: White Stone Publishing. ISBN 978-0-473-36652-0.
  • Traue, James Edward, ed. (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by
Duncan MacIntyre 		Member of Parliament for Hastings
1972–1975 		Succeeded by
Bob Fenton
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