DEATH IN HARNESS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18162, 9 August 1933, Page 11

DEATH IN HARNESS

THREE LEGISLATORS LYTTELTON’S REPRESENTATIVES The death last week of Mr. James McCombs, M.P., recalls the fact that his two predecessors in office also died in harness. In the course of his lifetime Mr. McCombs had sometimes jocularly remarked to his friends that he would never be defeated in his electorate, as it usual for the member for Lyttelton to hold the seat until deprived of it by death. Mr. John Joyce, a Lyttelton solicitor, who won the seat in 1890, held it in the face of strong opposition until his death in the course of the general election campaign in 1899. The circumstances of his death were similar to those of Mr. McCombs. Mr. Joyce had been suffering from heart trouble, hut lie did not go to bed untO a few hours before his death on December 1, 1899, five days before the polling day. Another coincidence was the fact that he was just 60 years of age. Mr. George Laurenson was returned at the by-election in December, 1899, and held the seat until his death in Wellington from heart failure on November 19, 1913, while Parliament was in session. Mr. Laurenson was 56 years of age at the time of his death. He was succeeded by Mr. McCombs.