LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22826, 10 March 1936, Page 10

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

FOURTEEN NOMINATIONS SIR CHARLES STATHAM INCLUDED MR MICHAEL CONNELLY IN LIST (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 9. Fourteen new members of the Legislative Council have been nominated by the Labour Government. The list includes the previous Speaker of the House of Representatives (Sir Chifi'les Statham), Mr John Alexander M'Cullough, a former workers’ representative on the Arbitration Court, and a representative of the Native race, Mr Rangi Mawhete, of Awapuni. The nominees will be Sworn in when tiie new Parliament meets on March 25. The names of the nominated Legislati-e Councillors arc as follows: — MR MARK BRIGGS (Palmerston’ North). MR THOMAS BRINDLE (Wellington). . MR MICHAEL CONNELLY (Dunedin). MR JAMES COTTER (Hinuera). MR THOMAS FRANCIS DOYLE (Bluff). MR EDWARD DYE (Waihi). MR JAMES GOODALL (Greymouth). MR GEORGE ROBERT HUNTER (Christchurch). MR FRANK EDWIN LARK (Auckland). MR BERNARD MARTIN (Auckland). MR RANGI MAWHETE (Awapuni). MR JOHN ALEXANDER M'CULLOUGH ’(Addington). MR BENJAMIN CONRAD ROBBINS (Tauranga). SIR CHARLES ERNEST STATHAM (Wellington). MR T. BRINDLE Mr Brindle is a native of Lancashire, England, where before coming to New Zealand in 1910 he was actively engaged in propaganda work for the Independent Labour Party in various industrial districts. Ever since his arrival in the llominion he lias been closely associated with the Labour Party in industrial and political activity and has occupied executive positions in both sections. He the executive of the New Zealand Labour Party, a position he lias held for some years, and was for four years in succession president. He was elected to the Wellington City Council in 1933 and again in 1935. He is a member of the Wellington Technical College Board of Governors. On several occasions he has been a candidate for Parliament. He unsuccessfully contested the Gisborne seat in 1919 and 1922, the Nelson scat in 1925, and the Wellington Suburbs seat in 1928 and 1931. MR M. CONNELLY Mr M. Connelly was born at Kakaramca, Taranaki, where his father was a farmer. At an early age he removed to the West Coast of the South Island, where lie was educated at a convent and at State schools. He followed mining for a few years, after which he joined the railway service, and ho soon became identified with the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, occupying every position in that organisation, including the Dominion presidency. He has been a member of the Railway Superannuation Board for the past nine years and a former representative on the Railway Appeal Board. As one of the founders of the Grey River Argus, Mr Connelly occupied a seat on the directorate, and was first secretary of the company. He contested the Chalmers seat in 1925 in the interests of the Labour Party. He lias been associated with various bands in the Dominion, having been a member of the Port Nicholson Silver Band when it was formed, while in sport lie played senior Rugby football on the West Coast for a number of years. He unsuccessfully contested a seat on the City Council at the last local body elections. SIR CHARLES STATHAM Sir Charles Statham is the eldest and only surviving son of the Rev. C. H. Statham, of Dunedin. He was born in Dunedin in 1875, and has lived here all his life. He was educated at private schools, the William Street School (now the High Street School), the Cathedral School (Christchurch), and the Otago Boys’ High School in the time of Dr Belcher. After leaving school he had the benefit ot some years of experience in commercial life, and was trained as an accountant. He then commenced the study of the law, and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court in 1901. He received his first practical experience in legal work in Mr F. Z. Moore’s office, and later on became managing clerk to Messrs Callan and Callaway. On leaving the service of Messrs Callan and Callaway, he opened an office on his own account, and soon worked up a considerable practice. Sir Charles Statham lun, always taken a keen interest in athletics and was for some time an active member of the Pirates Football Club. He is also a supporter of the Association game of football, and is a former president of the New Zealand Football Association. He was also an active memoer of the Otago Rowing Club, in which he held the offices of committeeman, treasurer, and captain. He served in the City Council for some years as a representative of High Ward. In 1911, when Sir Joseph Ward was Prime Minister, Mr Statham (as he then was) entered the political arena as an opponent of the Government, successfully contesting the Dunedin Central seat against Mr J. F. Arnold (Government) and Mr D. Macpherson (Labour). At the election in 1914 Mr Statham stood for Dunedin Central as a supporter of the Massey Government against Mr J. W. Miami, who was the Social Democratic candidate, and secured the scat by 12 votes. As a number of votes, the majority of which were cast in hi.s opponent's favour, had been rejected as invalid, Mr Statham refused to take advantage of a victory gained in such circumstances, and resigned, and at the by-election in February, 1915, lie was elected by a more comfortable majority. Mr Statham came before the electors in 1919 as an Independent candidate, his opponent again being Mr Munro, and on this occasion he secured the seat by a substantia] majority. At the 1922 election Air Statham again stood us an Independent, and obtained a clear majority over two opponents, Messrs J. Gilchrist and W. S. Muslin. In 1923 Air Statham was elected Speaker of the House of Representatives, being the first New Zealand-horn member to hold that high office. Mr APCombs was nominated for the position on behalf of the Labour Party, but Air Statham was elected by 01 votes to 17. He was rn-clectcd for Dunedin Central at the 1925 election against his former opponent. Air J. Gilchrist. in 1920 lie was unanimously re-elected Speaker, and in the same year the honour of knighthood was conferred on him. In 1928 lie was opposed in Dunedin Central by Air J. Robinson (Labour), but be retained the seat, and was again successful against Air P. Noilson in 1931. He did not seek re-election last year. MR T. F. DOYLE Air T. F. Doyle was born in Invercargill on June 16, 1893, and received his education at the Bluff Public School and the Convent School. Ho was apprenticed to the marine engineering trade, and followed that profession for 29 years, many of which were spent in the Matanra, BlulT and Ocean Beach Freezing Works. In 1927 he relinquished the engineering profession and purchased a business in Core street, Bluff, which ho has very successfully conducted ever since. Air Doyle

first entered local politics in 1919 as a councillor of the borough of BlulF. He has served for two terms as Mayor of Bluff, from 1931 to 1935, but did not seek re-election this year. In 1933 he was elected representative of the borough of Bluff' on the Bluff Harbour Board, and he was re-elected at the last election by a large majority. He served for four years as chairman of the Bluff Unemployment Committee and for five years as president of the Bluff Progressive League. Since his boyhood he has been associated with the Labour movement, and for several years he held the office of secretary in the Bluff branch of the New Zealand Labour Party, of which branch he is a foundation member. MR G. R. HUNTER Air G. K. Hunter spent a number of years in Australia, and on his arrival in the Dominion took up mining with Air P. C. Webb at Denniston. In 1910 he was elected secretary of the State Miners’ Union, and held the position for several years. He was then appointed the first town clerk of the borough of Kunanga. Later, he organised a co-operative mine with Air Webb. About 12 years ago he came to Christchurch, and entered business with Air Webb, forming the Point Elizabeth Coal Company, of which ho is now inanagei He has served on the City Council, and is a member of (he Christchurch Drainage Board. MR J. A. M'CULLOUGH Labour people describe Air J. A. Al’Cullough as one of the staunchest supporters the’ movement has ever had in the Dominion. He was employed years ago as a railway worker. In 1907 he was appointed the workers’ representative on the Arbitration Court, and held that position fop about 14 years. He was a member of the old Socialist Party, which was so active about 30 years ago. In 1922 lia stood for the Riccarton seat at the general election, and was defeated. He has been a member of the Riccarton branch of the Labour Party for many years. MR B. C. ROBBINS Air B. C. Robbins is a prominent resident of Tauranga, and was formerly Mayor of the borough. He was born in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, and after his arrival in New Zealand became a dairy factory proprietor at Hawera. He was prominently associated with local bodies in Hawera and at Wanganui. He has contested both the Egmont and Tauranga seats for the House of Representatives. MR F. E. LARK Air F. E. Lark has been prominently associated with the Labour movement in Auckland and in other parts of New Zealand for a number of years, and particularly in recent years has worked on behalf of the unemployed. He was elected a member of the Auckland City Council last year, and is also a member of the Auckland Transport Board, of which he is deputy chairman MR J. COTTER Air J. Cotter was a prominent mover in the formation of the Hinuera Co-oper-ative Dairy Company, Ltd., and was one of the first directors. He served for a period as chairman of directors, and is still a member of the board of directors. He is also a member of the South Auckland Dairy Association. Air Cotter was born in County Cork, Ireland, and came to New Zealand with his parents 67 years ago. He first lived at Coromandel and at Waihi, where he was engaged in gold mining. He took up farming at Hinuera 25 years ago. MR E. DYE Air E. Dye has for a number of years been president of the Ohinemuri Alines and Batteries Union. His association with the mining industry has extended over many years, and he has worked chiefly as a member of an underground contract party. In recent years, in addition to mining, be has engaged in farming. As a miner he has been very popular, and has been held in high regard by the workers generally for the manner in which he has looked after their interests. Alining companies, too, have appreciated his attitude during conferences and at sittings of the Arbitration Court. MR B. MARTIN Air B. Alartin, who is Deputy Mayor of Auckland, has had a long association with the Labour movement in Auckland. He came to New Zealand from England 30 jears ago at the age of 16, and was educated at Christ’s Hospital College. He soon associated himself with the Labour movement in Auckland, and became secretary of a number of trade unions, and was a leading industrial advocate. Air Alartin was elected a member of the Auckland City Council in 1931, but lost his seat in 1933. He was re-elected to the City Council last year. One of his greatest interests has been the Workers’ Educational Association.