Richard Reeves

Richard Harman Jeffares Reeves (1836 – 1 June 1910) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party. He was acting Speaker of the Legislative Council in 1905.

Biography Early life and career Reeves was born in Enniscorthy, County Wexford, Ireland, in 1836. He was educated at Barrow Grammar School, and subsequently at Tarvin, Cheshire. In early youth he went to sea and in 1852 he left England for Sydney, New South Wales. He worked in various trades, including mining, store keeping, cattle dealing and auctioneering.

Political career

Whilst absent on a visit to Australia in 1866, he was elected member for the Hokitika electorate in the Canterbury Provincial Council, but resigned on his return to New Zealand, as he found that pressure of business prevented him from taking his seat.

Reeves was appointed to the Legislative Council on 13 December 1895, and was reappointed at the end of the term in 1902 and 1909. After the death of Alfred Cadman, he was acting Speaker in 1905 (23 March – 30 June). He was Chairman of Committees for three periods between 1904 and his death on 1 June 1910.

He died in Nelson aged 76 of a heart attack after an illness. His wife had died in November 1908. They are both buried at Wakapuaka Cemetery.

Reeves was an elder brother of Charles Stephen Reeves, who was Mayor of Dunedin in 1876.