Norman Harold Moss OBE | |
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Mayor of Stratford, New Zealand | |
In office 1947–1957 |
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Preceded by | Percy Thomson |
Succeeded by | George JW Boon |
Personal details | |
Born | 1896 Dunedin, New Zealand |
Died | 1974 Oakura, New Plymouth, New Zealand |
Resting place | Kopuatama Cemetery, Stratford, New Zealand |
Nationality | New Zealander |
Spouse(s) | Rita Kathleen Moss (née Grubb) |
Children | Winston, John Barrie |
Profession | Solicitor |
Norman Harold Moss OBE (1896–1974) was Mayor of Stratford, New Zealand from 1947–1957.
He was born in Dunedin in 1896 and educated at Wellington College. After leaving college he was the first New Zealander to be employed in the Commercial Bank of Australia when it opened in Wellington in 1912.
At 20 he resigned to join the Medical Corps and served in England and France during World War I. Having started to study for the law before the war, he decided to resume this profession on his return and he qualified in law in 1923, practising in Hawera and Eltham before moving to Stratford.
He married Rita Kathleen (née Grubb) in 1926.
He made his first venture into local body life when he was elected to the Taranaki Electric Power Board in 1929, serving on the board for twelve years, the last three as chairman. He was also a member of the Stratford Hospital Board, President of the Stratford Racing Club for six years and a foundation member of the Rotary Club of Stratford. During World War II, he became Chief Controller of the Emergency Precautions Scheme in Central Taranaki. He was president of the Municipal Association of New Zealand from 1951-1957.
In his profession he enjoyed the common law side in which he specialised. Living in a farming district it was natural that much of his practice was associated with the primary industry and some of his legal battles in this line were fought against New Zealand's leading counsel. The best known is what came to be called 'the dip and drip case' concerning the accurate testing of milk for butterfat content. He served as President of the Taranaki District Law Society and also as a member of the New Zealand Law Society. He was the honorary solicitor to the Plunket Society Advisory Board in Stratford for over thirty years.
During his time as mayor he was heavily involved in planning for the overdue upgrade of the town's facilities and infrastructure. N H Moss was a member of the first National Roads Board and took a prominent role in the merger of the Whangamomona County Council and Stratford County Council in 1955.