David Smith (Rhodesian politician)

Smith was born on 19 April 1922 on the Kintyre peninsula of Argyll, Scotland, either in Campbeltown or at his family's Corran farm in Clachan. He was the son of farmer William Reid Smith, a Newmains native, and Margaret Brown Mundell, who originated from Bellochantuy. His brother, Hamish Smith, also moved to the colony and farmed in Nyabira. Prior to leaving, Smith became engaged to Jean Barclay Graham, whom he married in 1948. Together, they had five children, Catherine, Marge, Graham, Elizabeth, and William Lindsay—who died in 1952 at the age of two—and fourteen grandchildren. == Farming in Rhodesia ==

In Southern Rhodesia, Smith initially worked as a farm assistant, before becoming a farm manager. He later started his own farming enterprise, Smith and Wheeler (Pvt) Ltd., with a partner in Mazowe. He joined the Grain Marketing Board in 1953, and served on several other agricultural committees. He became chairman of the national Farmers' Co-operative in 1966. In 1974, he purchased a farm in Banket worth several hundred thousand dollars. == Political career ==

In 1965, the year of Rhodesia's Unilateral Declaration of Independence, Smith was elected to the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly for the Marandellas constituency. On 28 September 1968, he was named to Prime Minister Ian Smith's cabinet as Minister of Agriculture, succeeding George Rudland. At that time, Smith was described as the Rhodesian Front's "most liberal MP" and a moderate within the party who opposed press censorship and favoured a settlement with Britain. He was reelected to Parliament in the 1970 election with 72.5 percent of the vote against independent candidate Thomas Edridge, a Wedza farmer and member of the Rhodesia Tobacco Association's governing council. Edridge and the RTA took issue with price controls put in place by Smith in his capacity as agriculture minister. Smith was reelected in 1974 with 79 percent of the vote against Alfred John Harrison, the Rhodesia Party candidate. on 3 March 1978. On 13 January 1976, Smith was made Minister of Finance after the incumbent minister, John Wrathall, became President of Rhodesia. That year, he was the first Rhodesian minister to say he would run for Parliament under the Internal Settlement constitution, which would ensure a multiracial government. In a by-election held on 24 July 1979 to replace Hilary Squires, Smith was elected unopposed to Parliament for the Borrowdale constituency. In the fall of 1979, he attended the Lancaster House Conference as part of Zimbabwe Rhodesia premier Abel Muzorewa's delegation. After the conference, which ended the Rhodesian Bush War and led to the creation of the independent Zimbabwe, he kept in personal touch with nationalist leaders Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo. He was one of two whites in the cabinet, along with agriculture minister Denis Norman, and was the only minister belonging to the Rhodesian Front. He said he would remain in the party, and Ian Smith played a role in his selection for the cabinet. Later that year, his title was changed to Minister of Trade and Commerce, with the industry portfolio going to Simba Makoni. In early March 1981, Smith resigned from the cabinet, citing ill health. He resigned from Parliament and the Rhodesian Front on 30 April, saying in a statement that he had decided to retire from politics but would be "an interested onlooker". == Later life and death ==

After leaving politics, Smith remained in Zimbabwe in retirement. He was buried at Kilkerran Cemetery in Campbeltown, Argyll and Bute, with his parents and son, William. == Awards ==