LYTTELTON SEAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21596, 14 September 1933, Page 8

LYTTELTON SEAT

BY-ELECTION CONTEST

VICTORY FOR LABOUR FIRST WOMAN MEMBER MAJORITY OF 2600 VOTES [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday The by-election for the Lyttelton seat in the House of Representatives necessitated by the death of the late member, Mr. J. McCombs, was held to-day. Labour retained the seat by a greatly increased majority over the Coalition candidate, and Lyttelton was responsible for electing the first wom f in to sit in Parliament. The Independent Labour candidate failed to secure any measure of support and his presence in the contest had no effect upon the result. Steady rain fell all day and consequently the number of votes polled was substantially below the total at the last general election. The voting resulted: — Mrs. E. R. McCombs (L.) .. 6,080 F. W. Freeman (C.) . . . . 3,480 E. L. Hills (1.L.) .. .. 263 Majority for Mrs. McCombs 2,600 There are 221 absent votes, 217 postal votes, and 45 seamen's votes to come. The voting in Lyttelton at the general election on December 2, 1931, was:— J. McCombs (L.) .. .. 5.404 F. W. Freeman CC.) . . • . 5,372 W. L. Page (I.) . . . , , , 83 Majority for McCombs •.. 32 The state of the parties is not changed by the by-election. In a House of 80 members the Coalition Party has 48 supporters, while the Labour Party has an effective voting strength of 25 (its own 24 members and Mr. Tirikatene, who always votes with that party). Of the remaining seven members Sir Charles Statham is Speaker, Mr. Rushworth is the sole member of the Country Party, and Messrs. Atmore, Stallworthy, Veitch, Wilkinson and Wright, on their most recent actions in the House, represent various Independent sections. COMMENTS BY MR. COATES MRS. McCOMBS CONGRATULATED [BY TELEGRAPH —PRrtSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Wednesday "The contest is over and the elected candidate, Mrs. 'McCombs, is to be congratulated both on her handsome win arid in being the first woman to gain Parliamentary honours in New Zealand," said the acting-Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, when invited to comment on "the result of the Lyttelton by-election. Mr. Coates said the electors of Lyttelton would appear to have preferred the illusiona-ry and airy promises, involving violent inflationary methods irrespective of consequences, made by the Labour Party, rather than a policy of the country paying its way end insisting upon aiming for a Budgetary balance in a reasonable period. "I desire to congratulate Mr. Freeman upon the excellent fight ho has put up," said Mr. Coates, in conclusion. "He has done all that could be expected of any candidate." NOTABLE PUBLIC SERVICE WORK ON LOCAL BODIES Mrs. Elizabeth Peid McCombs was born at Kaiapoi and is the youngest daughter of Mr. Daniel Henderson. She was educated at the West Christchurch school and the Christchurch Girls' High School. Taking up social work at an early age she was secretary for some years of the Children's Aid Society, and president (late Dominion treasurer) of the Women's Christian Temperance Union. She was also a member of the executive of the old Canterbury Progressive Liberal Association. Mrs. McCombs has been a member of the Christchurch City Council since 1921, and chairman of the council's Electricity Committee since 1927. In 1921 fche was elected as one of the city representatives on the North Canterbury Hospital Board and she has held her seat there ever since. Mrs. McCombs is the only woman to have been elected to the Christchurch Tramway Board. -She was elected in 1927 and was re-elected in 1930. She has also been a member of the Christchurch Domains Board. She was married in 1903 to Mr. James McCombs, of Christchurch, who held the Lyttelton seat for 20 years, and whose death caused the present by-election. In 1928 Mrs. McCombs contested the Kaiapoi seat and was defeated by Mr. R. Hawke, after a three-cornered contest. At the 'last general election she stood for Christchurcjji North against Messrs. L. C. Walker and H. Holland. She was defeated by Mr. Holland. Mrs. McCombs has two children, Mr. T. H. McCombs, M.Sc., and Miss Patricia Me- j Combs.