MB J. W, MUM, M.P., DEAD

Evening Star, Issue 25495, 28 May 1945, Page 4

MB J. W, MUM, M.P., DEAD

TWENTY YEARS IN PARLIAMENT SERVICE OK LOCAL BODIES The death occurred last night id his seventy-sixth year of Mr James Wright Munro, M.P. for Dunedin North. For twenty years Mr Munro was a member of Parliament, representing Dunedin North for two periods, first from 1922 to 1925, and then from 1928 to the time of his death. Mr Munro was a staunch Labour supporter, and prior to the full development of his aspirations to parliamentary honours, he held the offices of president of the Bakers' Union, vice-president of

the Otago Trades and Labour Council, and president of the Political Labour League. About that time he was in business as a baker, and for a numbei of years he had for a partner anothei Labour stalwart, Mr Peter Neilson. It was in 1908 that Mr Munro first stood for Parliament; this was against Mr J. A. Millar for Dunedin West. He was rather easily defeated at this and at the following election, when his opponents were Mr Millar and Mr H. D. Bedford. An unusual incident marked the contest for Dunedin Central in 1914, when the candidates were Mr Munro and Mr C. E. (aftenvards Sir Charles) Statham, At the first count Mr Munro ivas credited with the majority of votes, but, through a mistake on the part of one of the electoral officials, a number of these votes were rendered invalid, with the result that, on the official count', Mr Statham was declared elected Iby 12 votes. Mr Statham, however, refused to take advantage.of the informality on the part of the electoral officer, and resigned his seat, being re-elected at

Another unsuccessful attempt to win Dunedin Central, and then Mr Munro's persistence was reAvarded, when at a by-election for Dunedin North, made necessary by the death of Mr E. Kellett, he defeated" Mr J. J". Clark and Mr W Begg. And, with the exception of the 1925-28 term, when Mr H. L. Tapley was the successful candidate, Mr Munro had represented Dunedin North in the House of Representatives ever since. Mr Munro has also been a member of the City Council since 1927 and of the Otago Harbour Board since 1928. His was a voice rarely heard in the House, but he was always a loyal follower of the Labour Party. He "was quite a popular figure outside the party also, for " Jimmy " Munro was of a genial temperament 'and always approachable. S I ,-.. ■■ Mr Munro is survived by his] wife, three sons—Messrs James L. B. Munro (Dunedin), Walter J. Munro (Wellington), and David J. Munro (Stirling)— and two daughters, Miss .Ethel Munro (Wellington) and Mrs M. Evans (Sydney).