# Lindo Ferguson (ophthalmologist, born 1923)

Richard Henry Lindo Ferguson CBE JP (27 February 1923 − 19 January 2014) was a New Zealand ophthalmologist and politician.

## Early life and career

Ferguson was born in 1923 in Waimate. He was educated at John McGlashan College and Christ's College. He studied at the University of Otago, graduating in 1947 with a Bachelor of Medicine. His grandfather was the noted ophthalmologist Sir Lindo Ferguson. He entered his family profession and became an eye surgeon.
In 1954 he married Laetitia Margaret Bell with whom he had one son and one daughter.
From 1950 to 1952 he practiced at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. He then became the visiting ophthalmic surgeon at Auckland Hospital in 1960. He was president of the New Zealand Ophthalmological Society.

## Political career

Ferguson was concerned about the loss of heritage buildings in Auckland which motivated him to enter local body politics. In 1968 he was elected a member of the Auckland City Councillor on the Citizens & Ratepayers (C&R) ticket. He was deputy mayor from 1971 to 1977. At the 1974 election Grahame Sims, the retiring town clerk, ran for mayor and accused Dove-Myer Robinson of being a C&R stooge. This followed Ferguson endorsing Robinson for the mayoralty. Sims called it "seat warming", insinuating Ferguson would run for mayor at the next election. Despite Sims' prediction Ferguson did not stand for mayor (or re-election to the council) in 1977.
He was also a member of the Auckland Regional Authority (ARA), first elected in 1977. He later served a period as deputy chairman of the ARA.

## Later life and death

Ferguson was involved in a large amount of local trusts, societies and boards. He was chairman of the Cornwall Park Trust Board, chairman of the St John Ambulance Trust Board, director of the Rotary Club of Auckland, member of the Mackelvie Trust, chancellor of the University of Auckland and president of Auckland War Memorial Museum. He was also a justice of the peace.
In 1970 he purchased a near derelict property in Butler Point, Mangonui that was once owned by Captain William Butler. He and his wife spent the next 40 years restoring and refurbishing it.
In the 1987 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for services to medicine, education, local government and the community.
Ferguson died in the Far North District in 2014, aged 90. His wife Laetitia died in 2019.

## Citations

* 1 2 3 Traue, James Edward, ed. (1978). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 (11th ed.). Wellington: Reed Publishing. p. 111.
* ↑ "NZ university graduates 1871–1960: F". shadowsoftime. Retrieved 11 June 2024.
* ↑ Hadden, Bruce (15 December 2022). "A brief history of ophthalmology in New Zealand". New Zealand Optics. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
* 1 2 Bush 1991, p. 432.
* 1 2 3 4 5 "Civic leader fought for city heritage". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
* ↑ "Declaration of Result of Election". The New Zealand Herald. 24 October 1968. p. 15.
* ↑ Edgar, John (2012). Urban Legend: Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson. Hodder Moa.
* ↑ Bush 1991, p. 433.
* ↑ "Successes in ARA". The New Zealand Herald. 10 October 1977. p. 2.
* ↑ "Families return for a special birthday". Northland Age. 14 January 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2024.
* ↑ "No. 50766". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 31 December 1986. p. 34.
* ↑ "Laetitia Ferguson Obituary". The New Zealand Herald. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 17 May 2024.