Terence McCombs
Encyclopedia
Sir Terence Henderson McCombs, OBE ED
(1905–1982) was a New Zealand
politician of the Labour Party
.
and Canterbury University College
.
He represented the Lyttelton
electorate from 1935, when he won the by-election
to 1951, when he was defeated in the bitter 1951 election
. Lyttelton had been held by his father James McCombs
, and then by his mother Elizabeth McCombs
until she died.
He was Minister of Education
from 1947 to 1949, near the end of the term of the First Labour Government
.
He was awarded an OBE in 1971, and knighted in 1975. From 1973 to 1975 he was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
, Christchurch
. His wife died in 1952, and he became a solo parent with four school-age children.
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(1905–1982) was a New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
politician of the 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....
.
Early life
He was educated at Waitaki Boys' High SchoolWaitaki Boys' High School
Waitaki Boys' High School is a secondary school for boys located in the northern part of the town of Oamaru, Otago, New Zealand, with day and boarding facilities, and was founded in 1883. It currently has a school roll of just over 530....
and Canterbury University College
University of Canterbury
The University of Canterbury , New Zealand's second-oldest university, operates its main campus in the suburb of Ilam in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand...
.
Member of Parliament
| Parl. | Electorate | Party |
| 24th 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... |
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:... |
Labour 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.... |
| 25th 25th New Zealand Parliament The 25th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 25 March 1936, following the 1935 election. It was dissolved on 16 September 1938 in preparation for the 1938 election.... |
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:... |
Labour 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.... |
| 26th | 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:... |
Labour 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.... |
| 27th | 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:... |
Labour 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.... |
| 28th | 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:... |
Labour 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.... |
| 29th 29th New Zealand Parliament The 29th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened in 1950, following the 1949 general election. It was dissolved in 1951 in preparation for the 1951 general election. The governing Labour Party had been defeated in the election by the National Party... |
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:... |
Labour 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.... |
He represented the 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:...
electorate from 1935, when he won the by-election
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:...
to 1951, when he was defeated in the bitter 1951 election
New Zealand general election, 1951
The 1951 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 30th term. It saw the governing National Party remain in office, increasing its lead over the opposition Labour Party.-Background:...
. Lyttelton had been held by his father James McCombs
James 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...
, and then by his mother 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...
until she died.
He was Minister of Education
Minister of Education (New Zealand)
The Minister of Education is a minister in the government of New Zealand with responsibility for the country's schools, and is in charge of the Ministry of Education.The present Minister is Anne Tolley, a member of the National Party.-History:...
from 1947 to 1949, near the end of the term of the First Labour Government
First Labour Government of New Zealand
The First Labour Government of New Zealand was the government of New Zealand from 1935 to 1949. It set the tone of New Zealand's economic and welfare policies until the 1980s, establishing a welfare state, a system of Keynesian economic management, and high levels of state intervention...
.
He was awarded an OBE in 1971, and knighted in 1975. From 1973 to 1975 he was New Zealand's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
Later life
After his defeat in 1951 he returned to teaching, and became the headmaster of Cashmere High SchoolCashmere High School
Cashmere High School is a large co-educational state secondary school in Christchurch, New Zealand. The 2008 roll was approximately 1800 making it the second-largest school in Christchurch, after Burnside High School.The School has a Conductive Education Unit....
, 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...
. His wife died in 1952, and he became a solo parent with four school-age children.