RICH, FRANCIS DYER (1828-1901), arrived in New Zealand in the Chelydra (1840) with his father George Rich (a Somersetshire farmer, who brought to Auckland long-woolled sheep and Ayrshire cattle and later some merinos. G. Rich bought a portion of Clendon's grant at Manurewa). Rich was later in partnership with his father at Mount Eden, breeding sheep and selling them in Australia. He prospected the South Island, and as a result his father took half the stock to Canterbury and he took the other half to Otago. There he maintained the quality of his flock and herd and continued shipping animals to Australia. He was awarded a certificate for wool at the Dunedin Exhibition (1865). In partnership with John Jones, Rich took up other runs in Otago and Canterbury. He purchased Bushey Park, which he cultivated highly and stocked with sheep, cattle, deer and game. While there he bought and developed the Shag Valley coalmine.

Rich was elected M.H.R. for Waikouaiti (1869), but sat only till the following year. He again contested the seat (in 1875) against G. McLean. In 1873 he bought Clive Grange and Matapiro in Hawkes Bay from Joseph Rhodes, selling the former soon afterwards to Whitmore and working Matapiro with his son-in-law (W. Shrimpton, q.v.), who afterwards bought him out. Rich paid a short visit to the Thames goldfield, and in 1878 took a share in the Patetere Land Purchase association (which acquired 250,000 acres of native land), and in the railway from Thames to Rotorua which would open it up. He promoted the railway company, which eventually sold the line to the Government. In 1881 he went to England and formed the New Zealand Thames Valley Land Co. (to take up 168,000 acres) which he managed from 1885. He leased the Woodstock estate at Okoroire, and introduced Chewing's fescue as a pasture grass. Rich died on 5 Dec 1901.

Roberts; Christie; New Zealand Exhibition, 1865 (report); N.Z. Herald, 13 May 1893 (p); 9 Dec 1901. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 119

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