# Frederic Lang > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Frederic_Lang > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Frederic_Lang.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Lang > Source revision: 1344457511 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|New Zealand politician (1852–1937)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder |honorific_prefix = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable) |name = Sir Frederic Lang |honorific_suffix = |image = Frederic Lang.jpg |alt = |caption = |order = 8th [Speaker of the House of Representatives](/source/Speaker_of_the_New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives) |prime_minister = [William Massey](/source/William_Massey) |term_start = 26 June 1913 |term_end = 31 October 1922 |predecessor = [Arthur Guinness](/source/Arthur_Guinness_(New_Zealand_politician)) |successor = [Charles Statham](/source/Charles_Statham) |constituency_MP2 = {{NZ electorate link|Manukau}} |parliament2 = New Zealand |term_start2 = 6 December 1906 |term_end2 = 7 December 1922 |predecessor2 = [Matthew Kirkbride](/source/Matthew_Kirkbride) |successor2 = [Bill Jordan](/source/Bill_Jordan_(politician)) |constituency_MP3 = {{NZ electorate link|Waikato}} |parliament3 = New Zealand |term_start3 = 4 December 1896 |term_end3 = 6 December 1905 |predecessor3 = [Alfred Cadman](/source/Alfred_Cadman) |successor3 = [Henry Greenslade](/source/Henry_Greenslade) |constituency_MP4 = {{NZ electorate link|Waipa}} |parliament4 = New Zealand |term_start4 = 28 November 1893 |term_end4 = 4 December 1896 |predecessor4 = In abeyance |successor4 = In abeyance |birth_name = Frederic William Lang |birth_date = 1852 |birth_place = [Blackheath](/source/Hundred_of_Blackheath%2C_Kent), [Kent](/source/Kent), England |death_date = 5 March 1937 |death_place = [Onehunga](/source/Onehunga), New Zealand |resting_place = |resting_place_coordinates = |occupation = Farmer |party = [Reform](/source/Reform_Party_(New_Zealand)) }} '''Sir Frederic William Lang''' (1852 – 5 March 1937) was a New Zealand politician, from 1909 a member of the [Reform Party](/source/Reform_Party_(New_Zealand)), he was the eighth [Speaker of the House of Representatives](/source/Speaker_of_the_New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives), from 1913 to 1922. ==Early life== Lang was born in [Blackheath](/source/Hundred_of_Blackheath%2C_Kent), [Kent](/source/Kent), England, in 1852.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19370305.2.119 |title=Sir Frederic Lang |work=[The Evening Post](/source/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)) |date=5 March 1937 |volume=CXXIII |issue=54 |page=10 |access-date=5 December 2013 }} He was the youngest of six children born to Oliver William Lang and Louisa Lang (née Briggs). His father, a Master Shipwright of HM Dockyard, Chatham and Lieutenant colonel of the Royal Dockyard Brigade, died in 1868 and his mother also died in 1869. In 1872 Lang emigrated to New Zealand, aged 19, and settled as a farmer in [Tuhikaramea](/source/Ng%C4%81hinap%C5%8Duri) close to the [Waipā River](/source/Waip%C4%81_River).{{cite news |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/waikato-news/news/sir-frederic-lang-from-rugby-paddock-to-parliament/JE7Y2BJ3IBGBNIW5OZS44YEVH4/ |first=Jesse |last=Wood |title=Sir Frederic Lang - from rugby paddock to Parliament |work=[The New Zealand Herald](/source/The_New_Zealand_Herald) |date=20 October 2023 |access-date=23 February 2025 }} In 1878 and again in 1880-82 Lang played for the Waikato District rugby team as a forward along with playing for a Civilians side, Ngahinepouri, Ōhaupō, Te Awamutu and Waipā teams. He played cricket and was captain of the Ngahinepouri side, played for [Alexandra](/source/Pirongia) and was a member of the [Waikato Cricket Association](/source/Waikato_Valley_cricket_team). He played football and represented the [Auckland Province](/source/Auckland_Province) in 1880. Around 1906, he sold his farm and moved north to [Onehunga](/source/Onehunga). He never married. ==Political career== {{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=left}} {{NZ parlbox |term = 12th |start = {{NZ election link year|1893}} |end = 1896 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Waipa}} }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 13th |start = {{NZ election link year|1896}} |end = 1899 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Waikato}} }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 14th |start = {{NZ election link year|1899}} |end = 1902 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Waikato }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 15th |start = {{NZ election link year|1902}} |end = 1905 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Waikato }} {{NZ parlbox break}} {{NZ parlbox |term = 16th |start = {{By-election link year|Manukau|1906}} |end = 1908 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Manukau}} }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 17th |start = {{NZ election link year|1908}} |end = 1911 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 18th |start = {{NZ election link year|1911}} |end = 1914 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 19th |start = {{NZ election link year|1914}} |end = 1919 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau }} {{NZ parlbox |term = 20th |start = {{NZ election link year|1919}} |end = 1922 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau }} {{End}} Lang's political career started with his election to the Tuhikaramea Road Board. He was elected onto the [Waipa County](/source/Waipa_County) and became its chairman for six years. He also belonged to the Waikato Charitable Aid Board. He was the Member of Parliament for {{NZ electorate link|Waipa}} from [1893](/source/1893_New_Zealand_general_election) to 1896; then [Waikato](/source/Waikato_(New_Zealand_electorate)) from [1896](/source/1896_New_Zealand_general_election) to [1905](/source/1905_New_Zealand_general_election) when he was defeated; then [Manukau](/source/Manukau_(New_Zealand_electorate)) from 6 December {{By-election link year|Manukau|1906}} until 1922, when he was defeated.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=211}} He was [Chairman of Committees](/source/Chairman_of_Committees_(New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives)) from 1912 to 1913.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=252}} He then became Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1913 to 1922.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=250}} In 1913 as speaker, in response to [filibusting](/source/filibusting) by [Āpirana Ngata](/source/%C4%80pirana_Ngata), Lang introduced a rule that MPs who could speak in English must not speak [te reo Māori](/source/te_reo_M%C4%81ori) and by 1920 Parliament no longer employed translators. The situation was reversed in the 1980s with the [Māori Renaissance](/source/M%C4%81ori_Renaissance) and the [Maori Language Act 1987](/source/Maori_Language_Act_1987).{{cite web |title=Launch of Simultaneous Interpretation in the House|url= http://www.parliament.nz/en-NZ/AboutParl/HowPWorks/Speaker/Speeches/d/6/8/49SpeakSpeech090220101-Launch-of-Simultaneous-Interpretation-in-the.htm |publisher=New Zealand Parliament |access-date=18 July 2012}} He was knighted in 1916.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=211}} He was appointed to the [Legislative Council](/source/New_Zealand_Legislative_Council) in 1924 and served for one term until 1931.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=157}} In 1935, he was awarded the [King George V Silver Jubilee Medal](/source/King_George_V_Silver_Jubilee_Medal).{{cite news | url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19350506.2.12 | title=Official jubilee medals | date=6 May 1935 | work=[The Evening Post](/source/The_Evening_Post_(New_Zealand)) | access-date=16 November 2013 | page=4}} ==Death== He died at his home in [Onehunga](/source/Onehunga) on 5 March 1937.{{cite news | url= http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19370305.2.4 | title=Deaths | date=5 March 1937 | work= [Auckland Star](/source/Auckland_Star) | access-date=16 November 2013 | page=1}} ==Notes== {{Reflist}} ==References== *{{cite book |editor1-last=Scholefield |editor1-first=Guy |editor1-link=Guy Scholefield |title=Who's who in New Zealand and the western Pacific |year=1925 |edition=2nd | orig-year=First published in 1908 |publisher = Guy Scholefield |location=Masterton}} *{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= Jim | author-link=Jim Wilson (librarian) |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}} *{{Cite book |last= Wood |first= G. A. |title= Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament |edition= 2nd |orig-year= First published in 1987 |year= 1996 |publisher=University of Otago Press |location= Dunedin |isbn= 1-877133-00-0|pages=95, 114}} {{S-start}} {{S-off}} {{s-bef | before = [James Colvin](/source/James_Colvin)}} {{s-ttl | title = [Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives](/source/Chairman_of_Committees_(New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives)) | years = 1912–1913 }} {{s-aft | after = [Alexander Malcolm](/source/Alexander_Malcolm_(politician)) }} |- {{s-bef | before = [Arthur Guinness](/source/Arthur_Guinness_(New_Zealand_politician))}} {{s-ttl | title = [Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives](/source/Speaker_of_the_New_Zealand_House_of_Representatives) | years = 1913–1922 }} {{s-aft | after = [Charles Statham](/source/Charles_Statham) }} {{s-par | nz}} |- {{s-vac|reason=Constituency recreated after abolition in 1890|last=[John Bryce](/source/John_Bryce)}} {{s-ttl | title=[Member of Parliament for Waipa](/source/Waipa_(New_Zealand_electorate))|years=1893–1896}} {{s-vac|reason=Constituency abolished, recreated in 1954|next=[Stan Goosman](/source/Stan_Goosman)}} |- {{S-bef | before = [Alfred Cadman](/source/Alfred_Cadman)}} {{S-ttl | title = [Member of Parliament for Waikato](/source/Waikato_(New_Zealand_electorate))| years=1896–1905}} {{S-aft | after = [Henry Greenslade](/source/Henry_Greenslade)}} {{s-bef | before = [Matthew Kirkbride](/source/Matthew_Kirkbride) }} {{s-ttl | title = [Member of Parliament for Manukau](/source/Manukau_(New_Zealand_electorate)) | years = 1906–1922}} {{s-aft | after = [Bill Jordan](/source/Bill_Jordan_(politician)) }} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lang, Frederic}} Category:English emigrants to New Zealand Category:New Zealand Knights Bachelor Category:Reform Party (New Zealand) MPs Category:People from Blackheath, London Category:Speakers of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:Members of the New Zealand Legislative Council Category:1852 births Category:1937 deaths Category:Reform Party (New Zealand) MLCs Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1905 New Zealand general election Category:Unsuccessful candidates in the 1922 New Zealand general election Category:New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates Category:New Zealand MPs for North Island electorates Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Frederic Lang](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Lang) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Lang?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.