Frederick Flatman

Frederick Robert Flatman
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Pareora
In office 1893–1896
Preceded by	New electorate
Succeeded by	Electorate abolished
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Geraldine
In office 1896–1908
Preceded by	Electorate in abeyance
Succeeded by	Thomas Buxton
Personal details
Born	1843 Suffolk, England
Died	21 September 1911 Woodbury near Geraldine

Frederick Robert Flatman (1843 – 21 September 1911) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament of the Liberal Party for the Pareora and Geraldine electorates.

Flatman was born in Suffolk and went to school in Oulton Broad. He came to Lyttelton on the Mary Ann in 1862 and went to South Canterbury. He was a successful businessman, and was storekeeper in Geraldine and Woodbury, and a sawmiller, before he concentrated on farming.

Flatman represented the Pareora and Geraldine electorates for fifteen years (1893–1908) in the New Zealand House of Representatives. He defeated Arthur Rhodes for the Pareora electorate in 1893 by 1594 to 1377 votes. From 1904 to 1906 Flatman served as the Liberal Party's senior whip. In 1908 he was defeated by William Nosworthy for the Ashburton electorate in the second ballot.

The Lyttelton Times described Frederick Flatman as a member "not of the ornamental type, but plain, blunt, possessing strong convictions, straightforward manners and simple directness of speech. He also acquired in 3 years a surprising grasp and mastery of political questions. He was certainly the best of the South Island farmer members-perhaps the best in New Zealand. He was a fine man."

He died on 21 September 1911 at Woodbury near Geraldine.

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