Lyttelton by-election, 1933
Encyclopedia
The Lyttelton by-election of 1933 was a by-election
held during the 24th New Zealand Parliament
in the Christchurch
electorate of Lyttelton
. It is notable for being won by Elizabeth McCombs
of the New Zealand Labour Party
, who became the first woman to be elected to the New Zealand Parliament
. This by-election was therefore seen as a milestone in Women's suffrage in New Zealand
.
who was Elizabeth McCombs's husband. He had held the electorate of Lyttelton since he won it in the Lyttelton by-election of 1913. He was therefore one of the earliest members of the Labour party to hold an electorate. He died of a heart attack on 2 August 1933.
since 1913, the electorate was seen as marginal as it had been won by just 32 votes at the general election of 1931
. However, the Labour Party were confident of retaining the electorate as they pledged reforms that would help those affected by the Great Depression
. The Labour party chose to select Elizabeth McCombs who had previously been elected to the Christchurch City Council
in 1921 and had stood for Labour in Kaiapoi
and then Christchurch North
in the 1928
and the 1931
respectively. McCombs was unanimously selected as the Labour party candidate. Nine other women had stood for parliament in New Zealand since they had been allowed to in 1919, while women gained the right to vote in 1893. It was not uncommon for family members to take over parliamentary electorates upon the death of a family member Vincent Ward
had taken over from his father Joseph
in the Invercargill electorate
in 1930.
and the New Zealand Reform Party
were at this stage in a coalition government. The Christchurch executives unanimously suggested that Frederick W. Freeman be accepted as their candidate. He had already been the candidate in the 1931 general election, losing by just 32 votes against James McCombs. Prime Minister Gordon Coates
on behalf of the larger Reform Party
, and the Minister of Lands, Ethelbert Ransom
, on behalf of United
, accepted the recommendation on behalf of the coalition and endorsed Freeman's selection.
Freeman was born in Christchurch in 1881 and educated locally. After a term of legal work, he trained as a surveyor and later became a civil engineer. He was a commissioner of the Waimakariri River
Trust and an elected member of the Heathcote
County Council. He had held leading positions with the Canterbury Automobile Association
, the South Island Motor Union, and had been a director for an insurance company. At the time of the by-election, he was an executive member of the Canterbury Progress League, a councillor for the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Arthur's Pass National Park
Board.
.
, attended some of the campaign meetings in support of McCombs. McCombs was received favourably at various meetings; many attendees were, unsurprisingly, women.
Freeman received considerable support with his campaign from the coalition government. William Bodkin and Walter Broadfoot
, United Party Members of Parliament representing the Otago Central
and Waitomo
electorates, respectively, were both present and campaigning on Hills' behalf. They were not received very favourably, though. One of Broadfoot's meetings in Lyttelton for women was attended by only five electors. A later meeting in the Labour stronghold of Woolston
was much better frequented, with 200 attendees busy interjecting him during his speech. That meeting was concluded with a formal thanks to the speaker, and three cheers for McCombs. Bodkin had a more orderly meeting in Cashmere
.
Freeman himself was well received. At a meeting in St Martins
, he addressed an audience of 50. A motion was passed to record "thanks and confidence", and an amendment to delete the word 'confidence' from the motion was defeated.
Hills was reported as saying: "I believe the same as Hitler
believes, that woman's place is in the home", and further that "I believe the difficulties of the country are too great for women to grapple with." Many letter writers to the press were also unimpressed at the prospect of having a women in parliament.
Hills was criticised at election meetings that he would split the Labour vote. He was also asked whether he received money from somebody for standing in the election, insinuating that the conservative candidate might possibly have an interest in the vote of the working class being split.
The election campaign was also seen as important because of the Great Depression
that New Zealand was experiencing and was viewed to be a referendum on the government's response.
Results of the by-election held on 13 September 1933 were:
Elizabeth McCombs won 16 of the 23 polling places.
. It is unclear how much bearing her being a woman had on her being elected given that the swing to her was similar to the swing to labour in the 1935 general election
. Her time in parliament would however only last two years as she died on 7 June 1935 of ill health. Her electorate was taken over by her son Terence McCombs
in the Lyttelton by-election of 1935
.
Elizabeth McCombs is still remembered today. New Zealand's first woman prime minister to gain her position at an election, Helen Clark
, said:
While Ruth Dyson
, who is the member of parliament for Port Hills
, which includes the town of Lyttelton, said:
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
held during the 24th New Zealand Parliament
24th New Zealand Parliament
The 24th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 23 February 1932, following the 1931 election. It was dissolved on 1 November 1935 in preparation for the 1935 election...
in the Christchurch
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
electorate of Lyttelton
Lyttelton (New Zealand electorate)
Lyttelton is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1853–90, and again from 1893–1996, when it was replaced by the Banks Peninsula electorate.-Population Centres:...
. It is notable for being won by Elizabeth McCombs
Elizabeth McCombs
Elizabeth McCombs was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party, and the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. New Zealand women gained the right to vote in 1893, though were not allowed to stand for the House of Representatives until the election of 1919...
of the New Zealand Labour Party
New Zealand Labour Party
The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....
, who became the first woman to be elected to the New Zealand Parliament
Parliament of New Zealand
The Parliament of New Zealand consists of the Queen of New Zealand and the New Zealand House of Representatives and, until 1951, the New Zealand Legislative Council. The House of Representatives is often referred to as "Parliament".The House of Representatives usually consists of 120 Members of...
. This by-election was therefore seen as a milestone in Women's suffrage in New Zealand
Women's suffrage in New Zealand
Women's suffrage in New Zealand was an important political issue in the late 19th century. Of countries presently independent, New Zealand was the first to give women the vote in modern times....
.
Cause of by-election
This by-election came about because of the death of James McCombsJames McCombs
James McCombs was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Lyttelton.-Early years:McCombs was born in County Leitrim, Ireland and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1876 as a three year old. He was educated at Sydenham School and Christchurch East School...
who was Elizabeth McCombs's husband. He had held the electorate of Lyttelton since he won it in the Lyttelton by-election of 1913. He was therefore one of the earliest members of the Labour party to hold an electorate. He died of a heart attack on 2 August 1933.
Labour Party
Despite the electorate of Lyttelton being held by Labour or its predecessor the Social DemocratsSocial Democratic Party (New Zealand)
The Social Democratic Party of New Zealand was an early left-wing political party. It existed only a short time before being amalgamated into the new Labour Party...
since 1913, the electorate was seen as marginal as it had been won by just 32 votes at the general election of 1931
New Zealand general election, 1931
The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the Liberal-Reform Government, although the opposition Labour...
. However, the Labour Party were confident of retaining the electorate as they pledged reforms that would help those affected by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. The Labour party chose to select Elizabeth McCombs who had previously been elected to the Christchurch City Council
Christchurch City Council
The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...
in 1921 and had stood for Labour in Kaiapoi
Kaiapoi (New Zealand electorate)
Kaiapoi was a rural New Zealand electorate, north of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region of New Zealand from 1861 to 1946. It was represented by twelve members of Parliament.-History:The electorate dates from 1861....
and then Christchurch North
Christchurch North (New Zealand electorate)
Christchurch North is a former New Zealand Parliamentary electorate.The electorate was in the northern suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand.-History:The electorate existed three times:*1881 to 1890;*1905 to 1946;...
in the 1928
New Zealand general election, 1928
The New Zealand general election of 1928 was held on Tuesday, 13 November in the Māori electorates, and on Wednesday, 14 November in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 23rd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
and the 1931
New Zealand general election, 1931
The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the Liberal-Reform Government, although the opposition Labour...
respectively. McCombs was unanimously selected as the Labour party candidate. Nine other women had stood for parliament in New Zealand since they had been allowed to in 1919, while women gained the right to vote in 1893. It was not uncommon for family members to take over parliamentary electorates upon the death of a family member Vincent Ward
Vincent Ward
Vincent Ward, ONZM is a film director and screenwriter.-Biography:Vincent Ward was awarded an Order of New Zealand Merit in 2007 for his contribution to film making. He was born in Greytown, New Zealand. He was educated at St Patrick's College, Silverstream and trained as an artist at the...
had taken over from his father Joseph
Joseph Ward
Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.-Early life:...
in the Invercargill electorate
Invercargill (New Zealand electorate)
Invercargill is an electorate of the Parliament of New Zealand that has existed since 1866. The current representative is Eric Roy.-Population centres:The electorate covers Invercargill city and the surrounding rural area, including Stewart Island / Rakiura...
in 1930.
Coalition Government
The United PartyUnited Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
and the New Zealand Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
were at this stage in a coalition government. The Christchurch executives unanimously suggested that Frederick W. Freeman be accepted as their candidate. He had already been the candidate in the 1931 general election, losing by just 32 votes against James McCombs. Prime Minister Gordon Coates
Gordon Coates
Joseph Gordon Coates, MC and bar served as the 21st Prime Minister of New Zealand from 1925 to 1928.- Early life :Born on the Hukatere Peninsula in Kaipara Harbour where his family ran a farm, Coates took on significant responsibility at a relatively early age because his father suffered from...
on behalf of the larger Reform Party
New Zealand Reform Party
The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party...
, and the Minister of Lands, Ethelbert Ransom
Ethelbert Ransom
Ethelbert Alfred Ransome was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, then its successor the United Party, and from 1935, the National Party. He was a cabinet minister from 1928 to 1935 in the United Government....
, on behalf of United
United Party (New Zealand)
The United Party of New Zealand, a party formed out of the remnants of the Liberal Party, formed a government between 1928 and 1935, and in 1936 merged with the Reform Party to establish the National Party...
, accepted the recommendation on behalf of the coalition and endorsed Freeman's selection.
Freeman was born in Christchurch in 1881 and educated locally. After a term of legal work, he trained as a surveyor and later became a civil engineer. He was a commissioner of the Waimakariri River
Waimakariri River
The Waimakariri River is the largest of the North Canterbury rivers, in the South Island of New Zealand. It flows for 151 kilometres in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean....
Trust and an elected member of the Heathcote
Heathcote Valley
-Location:The suburb is dominated by the approaches to the Lyttelton road tunnel, a major arterial that passes through the Port Hills. The road is part of the State Highway 74 network...
County Council. He had held leading positions with the Canterbury Automobile Association
New Zealand Automobile Association
The New Zealand Automobile Association is a mutual organisation and an incorporated society that provides vehicle breakdown assistance and related services to its members...
, the South Island Motor Union, and had been a director for an insurance company. At the time of the by-election, he was an executive member of the Canterbury Progress League, a councillor for the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Arthur's Pass National Park
Arthur's Pass National Park
Arthur's Pass National Park is located in the South Island of New Zealand.It was established in 1929, becoming the first national park in the South Island and the third in New Zealand. It is bisected by State Highway 73. The road passes through Arthur's Pass village and the mountain pass with the...
Board.
Independent
Edward L. Hills was described as the unknown factor prior to the by-election. A young man of considerable vitality, he was described as the best speaker of the three candidates. He was involved in trade unions in Christchurch and had been a member of the Labour Party, but he resigned on 1 August 1933 (the day before James McCombs' death) as the Woolston branch of Labour did not support his nomination for the selection ballot for the next general election. He thus contested the by-election as an IndependentIndependent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
Election campaign
McCombs's campaign was dominated by the fact that she was a woman. She chose to address this issue head on by using "Vote the first woman to the New Zealand Parliament" as her campaign slogan. Although it appears that the major newspapers had few worries about electing a women, many people did. The leader of the Labour Party, Harry HollandHarry Holland
Henry Edmund Holland was a New Zealand politician and unionist. He was the first leader of the New Zealand Labour Party.-Early life:...
, attended some of the campaign meetings in support of McCombs. McCombs was received favourably at various meetings; many attendees were, unsurprisingly, women.
Freeman received considerable support with his campaign from the coalition government. William Bodkin and Walter Broadfoot
Walter Broadfoot
Sir Walter James Broadfoot K.B.E was a New Zealand politician of the United Party, and from 1935, the National Party. He was a cabinet minister from 1949 to 1954 in the First National Government....
, United Party Members of Parliament representing the Otago Central
Otago Central
Otago Central or Central Otago was a parliamentary electorate in the Otago region of New Zealand, from 1911 to 1919 as Otago Central; from 1928 to 1957 as Central Otago; and from 1957 to 1978 as Otago Central...
and Waitomo
Waitomo (New Zealand electorate)
Waitomo was a parliamentary electorate in the Waikato region of New Zealand, from 1919 to 1972.-Members of Parliament for Waitomo:-References:...
electorates, respectively, were both present and campaigning on Hills' behalf. They were not received very favourably, though. One of Broadfoot's meetings in Lyttelton for women was attended by only five electors. A later meeting in the Labour stronghold of Woolston
Woolston, New Zealand
Woolston is a light industrial and residential suburb of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated three kilometres southeast of the city centre, close to major arterial routes including State Highways 73 and 74 to Banks Peninsula...
was much better frequented, with 200 attendees busy interjecting him during his speech. That meeting was concluded with a formal thanks to the speaker, and three cheers for McCombs. Bodkin had a more orderly meeting in Cashmere
Cashmere, New Zealand
The suburb of Cashmere rises above the southern end of the city of Christchurch in New Zealand’s South Island.-Geography:Cashmere is situated on the north side of the Port Hills, immediately above the southern terminus of Christchurch’s main street, Colombo Street...
.
Freeman himself was well received. At a meeting in St Martins
St Martins, New Zealand
St Martins is an inner suburb of Christchurch, New Zealand, located two kilometres south of the city centre. Primarily a residential area, St Martins was until recently host to a small shopping mall complex situated on Wilsons Road, the main thoroughfare through the suburb...
, he addressed an audience of 50. A motion was passed to record "thanks and confidence", and an amendment to delete the word 'confidence' from the motion was defeated.
Hills was reported as saying: "I believe the same as Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
believes, that woman's place is in the home", and further that "I believe the difficulties of the country are too great for women to grapple with." Many letter writers to the press were also unimpressed at the prospect of having a women in parliament.
Hills was criticised at election meetings that he would split the Labour vote. He was also asked whether he received money from somebody for standing in the election, insinuating that the conservative candidate might possibly have an interest in the vote of the working class being split.
The election campaign was also seen as important because of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
that New Zealand was experiencing and was viewed to be a referendum on the government's response.
Results
The results of the Lyttelton electorate at the 1931 general election were:Results of the by-election held on 13 September 1933 were:
Elizabeth McCombs won 16 of the 23 polling places.
Legacy
"I am proud to be the first woman to be elected to our Parliament" McCombs said upon her victory. "It will be my endeavour to live up to the tradition the women of New Zealand have established for taking their full share of the burden of government." Despite heavy rain, this speech was delivered in front of 2000 supporters in Cathedral SquareCathedral Square, Christchurch
Cathedral Square, locally known simply as the Square, is the geographical centre and heart of Christchurch, New Zealand, where the city's Anglican cathedral, ChristChurch Cathedral is located...
. It is unclear how much bearing her being a woman had on her being elected given that the swing to her was similar to the swing to labour in the 1935 general election
New Zealand general election, 1935
The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...
. Her time in parliament would however only last two years as she died on 7 June 1935 of ill health. Her electorate was taken over by her son Terence McCombs
Terence McCombs
Sir Terence Henderson McCombs, OBE ED was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.-Early life:He was educated at Waitaki Boys' High School and Canterbury University College.-Member of Parliament:...
in the Lyttelton by-election of 1935
Lyttelton by-election, 1935
The Lyttelton by-election of 1935 was a by-election held on 24 July 1935 during the 24th New Zealand Parliament in the Lyttelton electorate. The electorate was won by Terence McCombs of the New Zealand Labour Party, succeeding his mother.-Selection process:...
.
Elizabeth McCombs is still remembered today. New Zealand's first woman prime minister to gain her position at an election, Helen Clark
Helen Clark
Helen Elizabeth Clark, ONZ is a New Zealand political figure who was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand for three consecutive terms from 1999 to 2008...
, said:
"Elizabeth McCombs made history when she was elected as New Zealand's first woman member of Parliament, New Zealand women had waited a long time for that day. Her election came 40 years after women gained the right to vote. As a Labour Prime Minister and leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, I am very proud of Elizabeth McCombs' historic first. I see it as one of many steps in the political progress of women in our country which made it possible for me to become leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister."
While Ruth Dyson
Ruth Dyson
Ruth Suzanne Dyson is a New Zealand politician. She is a member of the Labour Party and has been a Member of Parliament since 1993.-Early years:...
, who is the member of parliament for Port Hills
Port Hills (New Zealand electorate)
Port Hills is a new electorate of New Zealand created for the 2008 general election. It largely replaces the Banks Peninsula electorate, held by Ruth Dyson...
, which includes the town of Lyttelton, said:
"She cracked one of the many glass ceilings and laid the groundwork for women such as me to enter Parliament and represent our communities in a compassionate and intelligent manner. Let us all remember Elizabeth McCombs, for it is in her footsteps that many of us now tread."