WITHEFORD, JOSEPH HOWARD (1847-1931), a son of Clement Witheford, was born in Bromsgrove, Worcester, and came to New Zealand as a boy. He spent some time on the Thames goldfields, and later became a sharebroker in Auckland. During the eighties he successfully negotiated with the British Admiralty for a subsidy of £5,000 a year for the naval works of the Auckland harbour board, and in 1900 he became chairman of that body. He was mayor of Birkenhead and sat in the House of Representatives as member for Auckland City (1900-05). Witheford played an important part in developing Auckland gold mines by floating mining companies. About 1906 he went to live in London, where he died on 30 Oct 1931.

N.Z.P.D., 25 Feb 1932; Cycl. N.Z., ii; Who's Who N.Z., 1908, 1924. Portrait: Parliament House.

Reference: Volume 2, page 266

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