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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Otago & Southland Provincial Districts]

Mr. Harry Dodgshun Bedford

Mr. Harry Dodgshun Bedford , M.A., Senior Member in the House of Representatives for the city of Dunedin, was born in Leeds, England, in August, 1877, and is the only son of Mr. Walter Scott Bedford, formerly a woolen merchant of Leeds, and latterly a tarilor of Dunedin. Up to the age of eight he attended a public school at the village of Morley, a few miles from Leeds, and in 1886 sailed with his parents for New Zealand. He continued his education at the public schools in Invercargill, and on reaching the sixth standard, left school to assist his father, who, after spending some years in the service of Messrs Herbert Haynes and Co., had established a tailoring business in Invercargill, on his own account. However, young Bedford soon decided to follow farming as his future calling, and with that end in view he spent a short time in farm work at Makarewa. He was afterwards blacksmithing at Thornbury, and, later on, obtained employment at the Southland Implement Works. During his engagement at these works he commenced to study, and matriculated after twelve months of close application. This success caused him to change his plans, and he determined to study for the legal profession. Two months later Mr. Bedford went with his parents to live in Wellington, and after devoting himself for twelve months to study there, he went to Auckland, where he kept ferms for two years at the University College. In 1899 he returned to Dunedin and graduated B.A. at the Otago University in the following year, where he also carried off the Macandrew Scholarship in political economy, and the University Senior Scholarship in political science. In 1901 he graduated M.A. with honours in the same subject. Mr. Bedford has been especially successful as a debater. In 1899 he gained the oratory prize at the Auckland University College, and has twice represented the Otago University in page 82 inter-collegiate debating contests, at both of which he won honours for his college. During his residence in Dunedin he has taken an active interest in religious work as a local preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist connection, and has closely identified himself with the prohibition movement. In 1901, immediately after graduating, Mr. Bedford contested the Caversham seat, which had been rendered vacant by the death of Mr. Morrison, but, being a comparatively new arrival in the district, and, having been closely occupied in study during his residence, he was but little known, and was consequently defeated. At the general election of 1902, however, he became a camdidate, as an independent Liberal for one of the Dunedin seats, and was elected at the head of the poll with 10,088 votes in his favour—the highest individual vote up till that date recorded in New Zealand.