THE FIRST WOMAN MEMBER

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 357, 14 September 1933, Page 5

THE FIRST WOMAN MEMBER

Mrs. McCombs Deserves the

Honour

A pioneer in every sense of the word, it is fitting that Mrs Elizabeth Reid McCombs. takes her place as the first woman in the House of Representatives. No woman in the Dominion has a greater right to. this honour, whether the measure be applied to service or native ability, and New

Zealand women will have no cause to be ashamed of the fact that Mrs. McCombs is their first direct representative in the Government of the country which led the way in granting the female franchise.

The present campaign is the third

! political fight in which Mrs Mc- ! Combs lias been a candidate—each I time in the Labour interest. The first I occasion was when she contested the | Kaiapoi seat in 1925, and at the, last i General Election she polled very well j in Mr. H. Holland's stronghold, Christ-

church North Kaiapoi, the busy little town some 14 miles north of Christchurch, was the cradle of Elizabeth Reid Henderson, but she received her primary and secondary education in the capital city. As a girl she was a brilliant scholar, and her unusual personality manifested itself when, at an early age, she identified herself with several movements for the betterment of the conditions of women and children. For some yean; she was secretary to the Children's Aid Society, the forerunner of social welfare organisations; was prersilcnt of Iho Christchurch branch of the W. C.T.U., of which body she was also some time Dominion treasurer; and a member of the executive of the now defunct Progressive Liberal Association of Canterbury. This last-named body, which aimed at the legislative enactment of many reforms, was not a. political party in the ordinary sense, but several people who were identified with it, such as Mr IT. G. Ell, the late T. E. Taylor, F. ML B. Fishev, Fred Pirani, Dr. Bedford, and other members of the Liberal Left Wing during the Seddou Administra-

lion, were responsible in large measure for the placing of the association's aims on the Statutes. Old age pensions ,land reform, the initiative and referendum, an elected executive, and the reform of the Upper House were the chief planks in its policy. Then, it was regarded as a very revolutionary body. It was during this period, ill 1203, that Elizabeth Henderson was married to the late James McCombs, and for 30 years they worked in the greatest harmony for the realisation of the ideals that inspired them —ideals which were the motive force of James McComb's incessant activity, an uncompromising activity that gained him many friends and also many enemies in the political field.

City "Mother"

j Mrs McCombs was first elected a j city councillor in 1921. and she has j boon the city "mother'" ever since, i holding the responsible office of chairj man of the electricity committee of ! the council for six years. She was j elected to the North Canterbury \ Hospital Board in 1923, and has served ! on it to the present time. In 1927 i she became the first and only woman j member of the Tramway Board, and

! was re-elected in 1930. During the i strike 15 months ago she made tireless I efforts to heal the breach while defending the point of view Of the men. I The Christchurch Domains Board has

j also had the benefit of her experience. I It has often been commented upon j as strange that British women, who secured the vote less than 20 years ago I should have had so many of their sex | in the House of Commons, while some,

j notably Miss Margaret Bondfield and

I Lady Astor. have become Ministers ! of the Crown; while New Zealand, i which has enjoyed women's suffrage j for two generations of voters, should have rejected, until this occasion, ! every appeal made by a woman for | the right to sit in Parliament. If f this rather remarkable reticence is | now to be overcome, the example of j Elizabeth McCombs will encourage our ; women to come forward with less ! hesitancy and in greater numbers at i the call to service. ; Mrs McCombs has a son and a | daughter—Mr T. 11. McCombs. M.Sc, j A.I.C. and Miss Patricit McCombs, who y is a student ut Canterbury College.