OBITUARY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22022, 3 August 1933, Page 9

OBITUARY

MR JAMES M'COMBS, M.P.

WELL KNOWN LABOUR LEADER,

(Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 2.

The death occurred suddenly of Mr James M'Combs, member of Parliament for Lyttelton, after a stroke early this morning.

Mr M'Combs had been suffering from his heart for the past week, and was under medical attention, but his death was unexpected, as yesterday his health appeared to be generally satisfactory. He leaves a widow, Mrs Elizabeth M'Combs, a member of the Christchurch City Council, a daughter (Miss Patricia M'Combs), and a son (Mr T. M'Combs), who is on the staff of Canterbury College.

Mr M'Combs became unwell last week. He had a slight stroke on Saturday, from which he rallied and appeared to be recovering, but he died of heart failure in bed early this morning. The funeral will probably take place on Friday. Mr M'Combs had been a member of Parliament for Lyttelton for 20 years. He was returned at the by-election in 1913. He was also one of the most prominent Prohibition advocates in the Dominion, and took a leading part in many Arbitration Court cases. Expressive tributes were paid by many public men and former colleagues. The Lyttelton Harbour Board carried a motion of sympathy, several members remarking that his death meant a national loss.

Mr E. J. Howard, M.P., said that ho was a likeable, loveable man, and it was remarkable that lie was so often misunderstood.

LOSS TO LABOUR MOVEMENT

MR H. E. HOLLAND’S TRIBUTE,

(Per United Press Association.)

WESTPORT, August 2,

The Leader of the Opposition (Mr H. E. Holland) stated to-day: “ The death of Mr M'Combs was a great shock to myself as well as to the whole of the Labour movement. He was one of the deepest thinkers, most effective debaters, and greatest fighters the House has ever seen. His first remarkable victory was In the midst of the industrial storms of 1913. He figured in and out of Parliament as an unswerving champion of the working man, both industrially and politically. He was most prominent in every great battle on the floor of the House and in the constituencies. He had a capacity for work and a tenacity of purpose that won out for him in his own electorate in a series of determined contests. His life’s history was one of restless energy, and his death will mean an overwhelming loss to , the Labour movement as a whole and to the Labour Party in Parliament in particular. The sincere sympathy of the Labour movement, from the North Cape to the Bluff, will go out to Mrs M'Combs and her son and daughter in what must be for them the darkest hour of their lives, for those of us who were closely associated with Mr M'Combs were in a position to know the measure of his devotion both as a husband and a father.”

Mr M'Combs was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, in 1873, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1876. He was educated at Sydenham and East Christchurch Schools, and studied philosophy and theology to prepare for the Anglican ministry. Wide reading in sociology, however, led him to take part in philanthropic and political work. He was a member of the old Progressive Liberal Association when Mr H. C. Ell was president, and was secretary of Mr Ell’s committee at one election. Becoming prominent in the no-license movement, he organised two campaigns for the Canterbury No-license Council, of which he was president for many years. Mr M'Combs was employed in drapery establishments in Christchurch, and was president of the Canterbury Drapers Assistants’ Union for some years, arid also represented the union in the Arbitration Court proceedings. He also assisted to form the United Burgesses’ Association. Mr M'Combs made his debut in politics at the general election of 1908 when he contested the Christchurch East seat as an Independent Liberal with strong prohibitionist leanings against the sitting Liberal member, Mr T. H. Davey. Mr M'Combs polled 1771 votes against 3497 votes secured by Mr Davey. At the general election in 1911 Mr M'Combs contested the Avon seat against Mr G. W. Russell (Liberal). In this election he stood on a LiberalLabour platform, and went to a second ballot with Mr Russell, who was elected by a margin of 271 votes. When the Social Democratic Party was formed in 1913. as a result of the visit to New s Zealand of Professor Walter ThomasMills, of the United States, Mr M'Combs became an active member, and, on the death of Mr George Laurenson, Liberal M.P. for Lyttelton towards the close of that year, he was selected as the candidate for the seat. The by-election campaign took place during the great maritime strike of 1913 and the contest was extremely bitter on account of the tension created by the presence of special constables on the Lyttelton wharves. There were five candidates for the seat and Mr M'Combs was elected in the ballot by a majority of 226 votes. In several elections since then Mr M'Combs was very hard pressed by his opponents, and in 1925 he was defeated by Mr M. E. Lyons by half a dozen votes, but was subsequently awarded the seat by the Electoral Court as from the date of the election. In 1931 he held the seat against Mr F. W. Freeman (Coalition Reform) by a margin of only 32 votes. Throughout the whole of his parliamentary career Mr M'Combs was one of the most prominent members of the Labour Party and had an aggressive style in debate. His courage in fighting for his convictions earned him the respect of his opponents and the admiration of his friends, and his death is a severe loss to the Labour Party, which looked to him to supply it with many of the hard facts and figures used in Parliament and on the platform by its members. Though he was the senior member of the Labour Party, Mr M'Combs never held the position of parliamentary leader, but on one occasion he was deprived of the position on the toss of a coin. That occurred shortly after the election in 1919 when the Labour Party in the House consisted of only eight members. Mr M'Combs and Mr H. E. Holland, the present Leader, were both candidates for the position, and the voting was equal. A coin was tossed to decide the issue and Mr Holland was the successful candidate. Mr _ M'Combs was elected to the city council for the Linwood ward in 1913 and continued as a member until 1917, when he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Mayoralty. He also contested the Mayoralty unsuccessfully in 1919. In 1931 Mr M'Combs was again elected to the city council, and was appointed chairman of the Finance Committee, but he did not seek re-election in May last. Mr M'Combs was married to Elizabeth Reid Henderson, and is survived by his widow and one son and one daughter. His son Terence is on the teaching staff of the Christchurch Technical College, and is also connected with the Science Department of Canterbury College. The

daughter, Patricia, is a*. student at Canterbury College, and is training for tie teaching profession. MR A. W. COLEMAN (Per United Pbess Association.) AUCKLAND, August 2. The death is announced of Mr A. W. Coleman, founder of a large tobacco business in Auckland.