Henry Holland, CBE

The death of Mr. Henry Holland, C.B.E., J.P., father of the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. S. G. Holland), is reported from Christchurch, at the age of 85. He was prominent in public life and in business circles in Christchurch over a long period of years, and represented Christchurch North in Parliament from 1925 to 1935, when he retired, being succeeded by his son. A native of Yorkshire, Mr. Holland came to New Zealand with his parents in 1863. At an early age he took up farming, but subsequently sold his farm and became a haulage contractor, bringing in grain and wool from Lake Coleridge and the surrounding districts. He took up his residence in Christchurch in 1898 and secured the sole agency for a number of leading English manufacturers. His first public office in Christchurch was to become a member of the West District School Committee, which he held for 16 years. In 1911 he was elected a member of the Christchurch City Council, and resigned after one year as councillor to contest the Mayoral election in 1912. He was successful, and held this office during the years 1913, 1914. 1915, at which date the term was extended to two years; he was again successful in 1915 and 1917, thus holding the office of Mayor for seven consecutive years, covering the maritime strike of 1913 and the whole of the war period. He represented the City Council on the Fire Board, for 15 years, and the Domains Board for several years. He was a member of the Christchurch Drainage Board for 15 years, and for a number of years was a member of the Lyttelton Harbour Board. He inaugurated the Canterbury Patriotic Fund in the last war, and was largely instrumental in the formation of the Canterbury Progress League, of which he was president for several years. At the General Election in 1919 Mr. Holland contested the Christchurch South seat as an Independent, and polled 3413 votes against Mr. E. J. Howard, who won the seat with 5088. During a period of the war Mr. Holland took a leading part in patriotic and Red Cross activities, and for those services was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He was an honorary life member of the Returned Services' Association. He was an active worker for the Methodist Church, and fathered the Religious Exercises in Schools Bill in Parliament after Mr. L. M. Isitt was called to the Upper House. After his retirement from politics, Mr. Holland was presented with an illuminated address and a cheque at a gathering of friends and electors in Christchurch. Mr. Holland married Miss Jane Eastwood, of Christchurch, in 1885, and he had five sons and three daughters. One of the sons was killed during the war of 1914-18. The Government will be represented at the funeral tomorrow by the Minister of Health (Mr. Nordmeyer). (Evening Post, Dec. 30, 1944)