Frederic Lang

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title: "Frederic Lang" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["english-emigrants-to-new-zealand", "new-zealand-knights-bachelor", "reform-party-(new-zealand)-mps", "people-from-blackheath,-london", "speakers-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives", "members-of-the-new-zealand-legislative-council", "1852-births", "1937-deaths", "reform-party-(new-zealand)-mlcs", "members-of-the-new-zealand-house-of-representatives", "unsuccessful-candidates-in-the-1905-new-zealand-general-election", "unsuccessful-candidates-in-the-1922-new-zealand-general-election", "new-zealand-mps-for-auckland-electorates", "new-zealand-mps-for-north-island-electorates", "19th-century-new-zealand-politicians"] description: "New Zealand politician (1852–1937)" topic_path: "geography/new-zealand" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Lang" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary New Zealand politician (1852–1937) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox officeholder"]

Field	Value
honorific-prefix	The Honourable
name	Sir Frederic Lang
image	Frederic Lang.jpg
order	8th Speaker of the House of Representatives
primeminister	William Massey
term_start	26 June 1913
term_end	31 October 1922
predecessor	Arthur Guinness
successor	Charles Statham
constituency_MP2
parliament2	New Zealand
term_start2	6 December 1906
term_end2	7 December 1922
predecessor2	Matthew Kirkbride
successor2	Bill Jordan
constituency_MP3
parliament3	New Zealand
term_start3	4 December 1896
term_end3	6 December 1905
predecessor3	Alfred Cadman
successor3	Henry Greenslade
constituency_MP4
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, Kent, England
death_date	5 March 1937
death_place	Onehunga, New Zealand
occupation	Farmer
party	Reform
::

|honorific-prefix = The Honourable |name = Sir Frederic Lang |honorific-suffix = |image = Frederic Lang.jpg |alt = |caption =

|order = 8th Speaker of the House of Representatives |primeminister = William Massey |term_start = 26 June 1913 |term_end = 31 October 1922 |predecessor = Arthur Guinness |successor = Charles Statham

|constituency_MP2 = |parliament2 = New Zealand |term_start2 = 6 December 1906 |term_end2 = 7 December 1922 |predecessor2 = Matthew Kirkbride |successor2 = Bill Jordan

|constituency_MP3 = |parliament3 = New Zealand |term_start3 = 4 December 1896 |term_end3 = 6 December 1905 |predecessor3 = Alfred Cadman |successor3 = Henry Greenslade

|constituency_MP4 = |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, Kent, England |death_date = 5 March 1937 |death_place = Onehunga, New Zealand |restingplace = |restingplacecoordinates = |birthname = |occupation = Farmer |party = Reform Sir Frederic William Lang (1852 – 5 March 1937) was a New Zealand politician, from 1909 a member of the Reform Party, he was the eighth Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1913 to 1922.

Early life

Lang was born in Blackheath, Kent, England, in 1852. 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 close to the Waipā River.

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 and was a member of the Waikato Cricket Association. He played football and represented the Auckland Province in 1880.

Around 1906, he sold his farm and moved north to Onehunga. He never married.

Political career

|term = 12th |start = |end = 1896 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = |term = 13th |start = |end = 1899 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = |term = 14th |start = |end = 1902 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Waikato |term = 15th |start = |end = 1905 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Waikato |term = 16th |start = |end = 1908 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = |term = 17th |start = |end = 1911 |party = Conservative (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau |term = 18th |start = |end = 1914 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau |term = 19th |start = |end = 1919 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau |term = 20th |start = |end = 1922 |party = Reform Party (New Zealand) |electorate = Manukau Lang's political career started with his election to the Tuhikaramea Road Board. He was elected onto the 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 from 1893 to 1896; then Waikato from 1896 to 1905 when he was defeated; then Manukau from 6 December until 1922, when he was defeated. He was Chairman of Committees from 1912 to 1913. He then became Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1913 to 1922.

In 1913 as speaker, in response to filibusting by Āpirana Ngata, Lang introduced a rule that MPs who could speak in English must not speak te reo Māori and by 1920 Parliament no longer employed translators. The situation was reversed in the 1980s with the Māori Renaissance and the Maori Language Act 1987.

He was knighted in 1916. He was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1924 and served for one term until 1931. In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.

Death

He died at his home in Onehunga on 5 March 1937.

Notes

References

| title = Chairman of Committees of the House of Representatives

years = 1912–1913
title = Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives
years = 1913–1922
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References

1. (5 March 1937). "Sir Frederic Lang". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
2. Wood, Jesse. (20 October 2023). "Sir Frederic Lang - from rugby paddock to Parliament". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
3. "Launch of Simultaneous Interpretation in the House". New Zealand Parliament.
4. (6 May 1935). "Official jubilee medals". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
5. (5 March 1937). "Deaths". [[Auckland Star]].

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