LABOUR M.P’s. DEATH

Grey River Argus, 27 April 1939, Page 7

LABOUR M.P’s. DEATH

MR E. J. HOWARD A Notable Career [Per Press Association] CHRISTCHURCH, April 26. The death occurred this afternoon of Mr Edwin J'ohn Howard, M.P., Chairman of Committees in the House of Representatives, and Member for Christchurch South constituency- He was seven'.y-one years of age. CAREER OF LATE MR HOWARD. The late Mr E. J. Howard had one of the most notable careers in the Labour Movement of New Zealand remarked Mr Jas. O’Brien, M.P. last evening, when he expressed his profound sorrow at the news of ivu Howards death. Mr O’Brien will today leave for Christchurch in cider to be present at the obsequies of the late Member of Parliament, with whom he had recently conversed, and found to be in the best of spirits, and showing promise of a recovery Horn his illness. Mr Howard underwent an operation shortly before his death. In his youth, said Mr O Brien, Ml Howard joined the Royal Navy, and as a seamen in that service he gained an experience and spirit of discipline which in later years were to stand him in good stead. In the year 1888 he went to Australia following the occupation of foreman smelter in; smelting works in various parts oi that country. In 1902, after his wife’s death, he returned to New Zealand and from then on took a very active interest in the New Zealand Laboui Movement. In trade unions he held every position from Secretary of his union to President of the National body. He took a very active part in the launching of the present office organ of the New Zealand Labour Party “The Standard,” then known as the “Maoriland Worker.” He was a valued contributor to the columns of that paper in his “Letters to Henry Dubb,” under the pen name of “The Vag” in defence of the bottom dog, and his “Uncle Ted” column for the children was widely appreciated. When the “Argus” became a Labour paper, the late Mr Howard contributed a “Vag’s Column” and a “Children’s Column” for a considerable time. He held many public positions in the course of his career. He was a member of the Christchurch School Committees, the Board of Governors of the Technical College, the Boara of Governors of Canterbury College and College of Agriculture. He was a member of the Christchurch Cits Council for four years, a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board for many years and also vice-chairman oi that body. He was a member of the Christchurch Repatriation Board and of the. North Canterbury Land Board. He was Member of Parliament for Christchurch South from 1919 till his death. Mr Howard was the Whip of the Labour Party from the time he entered Parliament until he was promoted in 1936 to the position of Chairman of Committees, which position he held until his death. He was delegate to the Empire Parliamentary Association’s Conference in Africa in 1924 and was a member of many Select Committees in the House of Representatives. Altogether the late Mr Howard was one of the members of the Labour Party who seemed never to grow old. He was one of those who supported every advanced movement of the Party, and was held in highest respect by all those he came in contact with. Thousands all over New Zealand will bow their heads in sorrow at the passing of one of the greatest Labour men and one of the best comrades in the Labour Movement.

Pioneer of Labour

CIVIC FUNERAL. CHRISTCHURCH, April 26. The late Mr E. J. Howard had been a member for Christchurch South since 1919. His death removes a pioneer and widely esteemed figure from the Labour Movement. In January he became ill, "but recovered steadily. On Monday he was operated on for another complaint at the Little Company of Mary Hospital. His death occurred early this afternoon, being rather A qivic funeral will be accorded the late Mr Howard by the City Council. The body will be taken to the Municipal Offices early on Saturday morning, and will lie in the horseshoe of the Central office until 11 a.m., when the funeral will take place. The Mayor (Mr R. M. MacFarlane) is supervising the funeral arrangements.

The late Mr Howard was born in Bristol in 1868, and educated at St. James the Less, Plymouth. He became apprenticed to .an accountant at Devonport. However he went to sea, spending his early years as a seaman in the Royal Navy. He first came to Christchurch in 1887, and the following year he married, in this city, Miss Harriett Goring, daughter of Mr and Mrs Amos G. Goring, who died 29 years ago. He then became a copper, lead, and zinc smelter, and in 1888 he went to Australia, where he worked as smelting foreman for an Australian smelting company, and later for the South Australian anu Western Australian Governments. While in South Australia, he studied chemistry at the Adelaide School of Mines, and he joined a syndicate to prospect for gold in the MacDonald Ranges in Central Australia. After Mrs Howard’s death in Australia, Mr Howard returned to Christchurch in 1902 with his three young daughters. One died later, and he brought up the two remaining girls Miss Mabel Howard (now Secretary of the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union and Chairman of the Reserves Committee of the Christchurch City Council), and Mrs T. Lamont, who also lives in Christchurch. ' '

Joining the Labour Movement, Mr Howard soon became prominent. For many years he spoke, to use his own term, from the “soap box” in Cathedral Square. From those battling days of the pioneers of Labour he graduated through every office in the movement until, at his • death, he saw his Party elected as the Government for the second time, and himself in the honoured position of Chairman n* Committees and Deputy-Speaker of (he House of Representatives. Another honour that of administrator- or Samoa, was offered to Mr Howard in

1936 by the Labour Government. “This was a very attractive offer to follow in the footsteps of generals and other gallant officers,” he told electors of Christchurch South last year, “and I felt if I accepted I would have let you down.” ’■