predecessor parliament successor birth_place constituency_mp death_date death_place nationality party birth_date term_start spouse image article_title term_end name occupation
john chanter australian john chanter crowlands , victoria riverina 22 september 1940 st kilda , victoria australian free trade party 24 june 1861 16 december 1903 constance ferrier mailton robert blackwood.jpg robert blackwood -lrb- australian politician -rrb-
 13 april 1904 robert blackwood farmer , business owner
robert blackwood -lrb- australian politician -rrb-

robert officer blackwood -lrb- 24 june 1861 -- 22 september 1940 -rrb- was an australian politician , businessman and pastoralist .
he was briefly a member of the australian house of representatives for the division of riverina .
blackwood was born in 1861 at crowlands in victoria , the son of richard blackwood -lrb- d. 1881 -rrb- and isabella , née officer .
he attended melbourne church of england grammar school -lrb- 1878 -- 79 -rrb- , where he gained a reputation as an athlete .
he was admitted to trinity hall , cambridge in 1882 , where he began boxing -- he later became the runner-up in the amateur light-weight boxing championship in england .
he returned to australia in 1889 , taking over his father 's property in partnership with his brothers .
an active community member around deniliquin , blackwood was a member of the pastoralists ' association of victoria and southern riverina .
a supporter of sir george reid , he was elected to the house of representatives for riverina in new south wales in 1903 by only five votes , representing the free trade party .
on petition by the former member , john chanter , however , the result was declared void on the grounds of electoral irregularities .
blackwood , who lost the subsequent by-election , was cleared of all charges but never stood for parliament again .
blackwood continued to be active in rural affairs , becoming vice-president of the pastoralists ' union of southern riverina in 1906 .
he was president of the conargo shire in 1907 , and represented many companies ; he became chairman of dalgety & co. and australian farms ltd , and president of the victorian employers ' association and the registered clubs ' association of victoria from 1916-30 .
he also became vice-president of the royal agricultural society from 1920-1938 .
blackwood married constance ferrier mailton on 23 july 1895 at st paul 's cathedral , melbourne .
despite his deteriorating health he maintained contact with his business affairs until his death on 22 september 1940 at st kilda ; he was survived by his wife .
he had no children .
