William Denham Explained

William Denham
Constituency Mp7:Invercargill
Parliament7:New Zealand
Term Start7:27 November 1935
Term End7:27 November 1946
Predecessor7:James Hargest
Successor7:Ralph Hanan
Birth Name:William Mortimer Clarence Denham
Birth Date:August 1888
Birth Place:Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Death Place:Invercargill, New Zealand
Restingplace:Eastern Cemetery, Invercargill
Party:Labour

William Mortimer Clarence Denham (August 1888 – 21 September 1969) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.

Biography

Early life and career

Denham was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, in August 1888,[1] and was educated both there and in Melbourne.[2] He shifted to New Zealand in 1907 and settled in Invercargill working as a farmer and later as a tramway worker. For 12 years he was an employee representative to the Tramways Appeal Board.[2]

Political career

Denham began his political career in local-body affairs. He was elected to the Invercargill City Council in 1928 and was also a member of the Southland Technical College Board.[2]

Denham first stood for Parliament in in the Awarua electorate, placing third.[3] He then unsuccessfully contested the Invercargill electorate in the ; of the three candidates, he came last.[4] He represented the Invercargill electorate in the House of Representatives from 1935 to 1946, when he was defeated. He was defeated twice more for the seat in the and general elections. While an MP he legislated for the establishment of the Invercargill Licensing Trust in 1944 and advocated for a special fund for writers, resulting in the formation of the Literary Grants Advisory Board.

In 1947 he stood for the Invercargill mayoralty against incumbent Abraham Wachner. Denham polled respectably but was defeated by a margin of 997 votes.[5]

Later life and death

Denham later became chairman of the Invercargill Savings Bank. He died on 21 September 1969 at the age of 81. He is buried at Invercargill's Eastern Cemetery, along with his wife Gwendolyn who died 1 January 1971, and his mother-in-law Ada Meadows.[6]

References

Notes and References

  1. Book: Chisholm . Alec . Alexander Hugh Chisholm . Who's Who in Australia . 1947 . Herald Press . 13th . Melbourne . 281.
  2. News: The New Parliament . 10 May 2017 . Horowhenua Chronicle . 29 November 1935 . 6.
  3. Book: The General Election, 1928 . 1929 . Government Printer . 1 . 4 December 2013.
  4. Book: The General Election, 1931 . 1932 . Government Printer . 3 . 2 November 2014.
  5. News: . 8 . List of Mayoral Results . 20 November 1947 .
  6. Web site: Cemetery result . Invercargill City Council.