LYTTELTON SEAT

LABOUR CANDIDATE

MRS. MCCOMBS ENDORSED

; Mrs. Elizabeth 'Eeid McCombs was today endorsed by the' National Executive of tiie New Zealand Labour Party as the official Labour candidate for the .Lyttelton by-election. The selection of Mrs. McCombs by the North 'Canterbury Labour Representation Committee was unanimous, other candidates withdrawing in her favour. Others, who had been nominated, were the Eev. J. K. Archer and Messrs.' P. C. Webb and J. Mathison. Prior to the selection the following letter from Mrs. McCombs to Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P., was read:—"lt was my husband's greatest wish that one day, as a member of Parliament, I might have wider opportunity of serving the community. On each of the two occasions on which I was selected as a candidate, he not only urged me to accept, but he gave me whole-hearted encouragement and support throughout the campaigns. Remembering this, I feel that I owe it to him to reply in the affirmative to the request you conveyed to me from the executive of the Labour Representation Committee." Mrs. McCombs has already contested two Parliamentary seats, Kaiapoi and Christchurch. North. In 1928 she was a very close third in the ballot at Kaiapoi, tho voting being: ftir. E. W. Hawke (United), 3216; tho late Mr. J. A. Flesher (Reform), 3120; Mrs. McCombs (Labour), 2980. Threo years later, at the last General Election, Mrs. McCombs wasTunner-upfor the Christchurch North, scat, the voting on that occasion being: Mr. H. Holland (Coalition Keform), 5527;; Mrs. McCombs (Labour), 3450; Mr. L. C. Walker (Independent), 3275. For some.years Mrs. McCombs has; been; a ;member of the Christchurch City Council, and has held the position of chairman of the eloctririty committee since 1931. Tho National Executive has also asked Mr. i\ Langstouo (Labour M.P. for Waimarino, and National President of the Labour Party) to act as organiser for tho Labour campaign.