SEAT RETAINED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 241, 25 July 1935, Page 3

SEAT RETAINED

THE LYTTELTON BY-ELECTION. LABOUR MAJORITY OF 1752. (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, July 24. With a majority of 1752 votes over his strongest opponent, Mr T. H. McCombs, the Labour candidate for the Lyttelton seat, was elected to-day. The seat has been retained in the McCombs family for an .unbroken period of 22 years. Although the day was fine, only 61 per cent, of the electors voted. The total poll was 9271 from a roll of 13,662. When Mrs McCombs was elected in 1933, 9283 votes were polled from a roll of 13,712. The result of the poll was:— T. H. McCombs (Labour) ... 5437 M. il. Lyons (Coalition) - 3685 E. T. Hills (Ind. Labour) ... 103 G. S. Hamilton (Ind.) 40

A UNIQUE RECORD.

WELLINGTON, July 24. Commenting on the result of the Lyttelton poll, Sir Allred Ransom congratulated Mr McCombs on achieving success at his first effort. ITe not only retained for the Party what had come to be regarded as a Labour stronghold, but he followed in the footsteps of his parents, making a unique record in the New Zealand Parliament. The fact that his majority was almost 1000 less than the aggregate polled for Mrs McCombs two years ago, Sir Alfred attributed to the calibre of Mr Lyons, who deserved praise for the courageous manner in which he contested the seat. The election showed that there was no interest in so-called independence in politics. THE NEW MEMBER. Mr T. H. McCombs had not taken part in public life before he began his campaign for the Lyttelton seat. He was a! teacher at the Richard Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland, until he was chosen by! the Labour party to contest the election. He is about 31 years of age. Mr McCombs was educated at Waitaki Boys’ High School and at the Christchurch Boys’ High School, and lie entered Canterbury University College to take a course in science. He specialised in chemistry, and was junior assistant in the chemistry laboratory while taking his degree. He gained a Charles Cook Memorial Scholarship and, while holding it, secured his Master’s degree in chemistry with second-class honours. He was later awarded a National Research scholarship, which he used to continue his work on the essential oils in pine woods. He was recently appointed to the staff of the Seddon Memorial College in Auckland. Mr McCombs was keenly interested in rowing and hockey during his years at the university, and lie gained college blues in both branches of sport.