Early life Broadfoot was born in 1881 at
Lower Hutt. He received his education at Wellesley Street Public School and
Kihikihi School. His first employment was with the
Auckland Post Office as a messenger, and this was followed by work as a journalist for the
New Zealand Observer. At night, he studied towards a law degree, which led to employment as a clerk in
Hamilton in 1907, followed by setting up his own practice in rural
Waikato's
Te Kūiti in the following year. He specialised in native affairs and land problems. He married Dorothy Caroline Metcalfe (1884–1945), daughter of Henry Hulbert Metcalfe at St. Mary's Cathedral, Parnell, on 20 December 1910. They had two daughters, Beverley and Merron.
Political career From 1923 to 1935, he was first deputy mayor and then mayor of Te Kuiti. He was first elected to
Parliament in the as a member of the
United Party, when he defeated
Reform's
John Rolleston in the electorate. On 23 April 1936, he became junior party
whip during the
United/Reform Coalition, just prior to the formation of the
National Party resulting from the merger of the Reform and United Parties in mid-May. He became senior whip in 1941, and held that position until 1949, when he became Postmaster-General. In 1942, he was Minister of National Service in the short-lived
War Administration. In the
First National Government, he was Postmaster-General and Minister of Telegraphs (1949–1954). He retired from Parliament in 1954. In 1935, he was awarded the
King George V Silver Jubilee Medal. In 1953, he was awarded the
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. In 1955, Broadfoot was granted the use of the title of "Honourable" for life, having served more than three years as a member of the Executive Council. He was appointed a
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the
1955 Queen's Birthday Honours, and died in 1965. ==Notes==