Elizabeth McCombs

Elizabeth McCombs
Elizabeth Reid McCombs c. 1933
Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Lyttelton
In office 13 September 1933 – 7 June 1935
Preceded by	James McCombs
Succeeded by	Terry McCombs
Personal details
Born	Elizabeth Reid Henderson 19 November 1873 Kaiapoi, New Zealand
Died	7 June 1935(1935-06-07) (aged 61) Christchurch, New Zealand
Nationality	New Zealand
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	James McCombs (married 1903)
Relations	Christina Henderson (sister); Stella Henderson (sister)
Children	Four children (two were adopted), incl. Terry McCombs

Elizabeth Reid McCombs (née Henderson, 19 November 1873 – 7 June 1935) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party who in 1933 became the first woman elected to the Parliament of New Zealand. 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. McCombs had previously contested elections in 1928 and 1931.

Born in Kaiapoi, McCombs spent her youth in Ashburton and Christchurch. In 1886, her father died, leaving her family in financial difficulty for a time.

McCombs became interested in socialism through the influence of her elder sisters, who were involved in the Progressive Liberal Association, a small socialist-orientated group. One of the Progressive Liberal Association's goals was to increase the political rights of women. McCombs herself became involved in the Association, and as an extension of this, with the New Zealand Women's Christian Temperance Union, run by prominent New Zealand suffragette Kate Sheppard. McCombs held a number of positions within the Temperance Union throughout her life, including that of national treasurer.

In 1903, McCombs married James McCombs, a strong socialist who had also been involved with the Progressive Liberal Association. They were to have two children, and adopted two more. James McCombs was active in left-wing political circles, and was later to become an MP for the Social Democratic Party. When the Labour Party was founded in 1916, he became its first president. At the same time, Elizabeth McCombs was elected to the party's executive, alongside another woman, Sarah Snow.

In 1921, McCombs gained election to the Christchurch City Council, being the second woman to do so. She remained a member of the council until 1935, when she chose to step down. During this time, she was also active in a large number of other organisations, including hospital boards and charities. Her work was recognised in 1926, when she was made a Justice of the peace.