Clifton Webb (politician)

Sir Thomas Clifton Webb (8 March 1889 – 6 February 1962) was a New Zealand politician and diplomat.

Early life
He was born in Te Kōpuru, near Dargaville, in 1889. Thomas Webb was his father. He received his education at Te Kōpuru School, Auckland Grammar School, and the studied at Auckland University College. He practised law in Dargaville. He was in the army from 1917 to 1919, then returned to his practice in Dargaville and was a borough councillor there from 1921 to 1923. He moved to Auckland in 1927 and established a new law firm there.

Member of Parliament
He sat in Parliament from 1943 until 1954: first as an Independent National MP for (1943–1946) and then as the  National Party MP for Rodney (1946–1954). A key aide to party leader Sidney Holland, he was appointed to Attorney-General upon National gaining power in 1949. As Minister of Justice, he was responsible for drafting the legislation that resulted in the abolition of the Legislative Council.

In 1951, he took his first step into diplomacy by adding Minister for External Affairs and Minister of Island Territories to his other duties; portfolios which he held from 1951 to 1954. In 1953, he was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In 1955, Webb was granted the use of the title of "Honourable" for life, having served more than three years as a member of the Executive Council. He served as the country's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom between 1955 and 1958, and was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in the 1956 New Year Honours.

Family
On 1 September 1915, Webb married Lucy Nairn in Auckland; they were to have two daughters. He died on 6 February 1962 in Wellington. His wife died in 1983.