Early life

Treadwell was born in Lower Hutt in 1889. He was educated at Wellington College and later studied law at Victoria College. During his legal studies he worked as a clerk in a Wellington legal firm before becoming an associate to Justice William Sim in Dunedin.^[1]

Military career

During World War I he served in Egypt then in France, with the New Zealand Division. Later in 1917 he went on a three-months tour of training in England but was later admitted to hospital. He organised a wills department and general law office which he ran until his return to New Zealand in June 1919.^[2] In the 1919 Birthday Honours he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, for valuable services rendered in connection with the war.^[3] In 1927 he became legal staff officer to the central command, lectured and examined military law. In the Second World War he left New Zealand with the First Echelon as Deputy-Judge Advocate General. He was promoted Lieutenant-Colonel in Egypt. On his return to New Zealand he was appointed Deputy-Judge Advocate and on the death of Colonel Claude Weston, was appointed Judge Advocate General with the rank of Colonel. He wrote several military books, and was part-author of the official history of the Wellington Regiment.^[2] He retired from the post of Judge Advocate General of the New Zealand Military Forces in 1955.^[4]

Diplomatic career

He was vice-consul for Brazil in 1932 and Consul in 1938.^[2] In February 1966 Treadwell was conferred with the Order of the Southern Cross, in the rank of chevalier, to recognise his 25 years service as consul for Brazil in New Zealand.^[5]

Political career

He stood for Parliament unsuccessfully at the 1935 general election in the Wellington North electorate for the Reform Party.^[6]

For five years he was a member of the Wellington Hospital Board from 1933 to 1938 and was also an inspector of mental hospitals.^[2] Treadwell was elected, on the Citizens' Association ticket, to the Wellington City Council at the 1947 election. Re-elected in 1950 he was defeated in 1953.^[7]

Later life and death

He was president of the Wellington District Law Society in 1951. He retired as senior partner in Wellington's oldest legal firm in May 1957.^[2]

Treadwell died in Wellington in 1966, aged 77.^[2]