{{Short description|New Zealand politician (1848–1906)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2014}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=August 2014}} thumb|Kirkbride c. 1902 '''Matthew Middlewood Kirkbride''' (13 August 1848 – 4 November 1906) was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.
==Biography== {{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true|align=right}} {{NZ parlbox |start = {{NZ election link year|1902}} |end = 1905 |term = 15th |electorate = {{NZ electorate link|Manukau}} |party = Independent politician }} {{NZ parlbox |start = {{NZ election link year|1905}} |end = 1906 |term = 16th |electorate = Manukau |party = Independent politician }} {{NZ parlbox footer}} Born in Ulleskelf in Yorkshire, Kirkbride arrived in New Zealand in July 1863.<ref name="OW obit">{{cite news|title=Death of an MHR|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW19061107.2.68 |access-date=24 October 2012|work=Otago Witness|date=7 November 1906|issue=2747|page=21}}</ref>
He was a friend and neighbour of William Massey, with whom he shared positions on local government. Kirkbride was one of the people who persuaded Massey in {{NZ election link year|1893}} to stand for Parliament;<ref name="OW obit" /> Massey was beaten in {{NZ electorate link|Franklin}} that year, but was successful in an {{By-election link|Waitemata|1894}}.<ref name="DNZB Massey">{{DNZB|Gustafson|Barry|2m39|Massey, William Ferguson - Biography|10 December 2011}}</ref>
Kirkbride was elected to the Manukau electorate in the {{NZ election link|1902}},{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=118}} when he defeated the incumbent, Maurice O'Rorke.<ref name="OW obit" /> He won the {{NZ election link|1905}} against Liberal Ralph Duncan Stewart.<ref name="OW obit" /> He held the Manukau electorate until he died in 1906.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=118}} His death caused the 6 December {{By-election link|Manukau|1906}} in Manukau, which was won by Frederic Lang.{{sfn|Scholefield|1950|p=119}}
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *{{Cite book |last= Scholefield |first= Guy |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 |authorlink=Guy Scholefield |edition=3rd |orig-year= First ed. published 1913 |year= 1950 |publisher=Govt. Printer |location= Wellington}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par | nz}} {{s-bef | before = Maurice O'Rorke }} {{s-ttl | title = Member of Parliament for Manukau | years = 1902–1906}} {{s-aft | after = Frederic Lang }} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kirkbride, Matthew}} Category:1848 births Category:1906 deaths Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives Category:New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates Category:People from Selby District Category:English emigrants to New Zealand Category:19th-century New Zealand politicians
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