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John Cobbe

For other people with similar names, see John Cobb (disambiguation).

John Cobbe in 1936

John George Cobbe (1859 – 29 December 1944) was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, United Party and the National Party.

Early life

Cobbe was born in King's County, Ireland, in 1859. He received his education in Tullamore and Dublin, and arrived in New Zealand in 1886.[1] He was first employed in Auckland by Smith & Caughey, and then moved to Feilding to run a general store. In 1941, he became a sheep farmer in the Waihapi Valley north of the Whanganui River.[1]

Politics and public offices

New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1928–1931 23rd Oroua United
1931–1935 24th Oroua United
1935–1936 25th Oroua United
1936–1938 Changed allegiance to: National
1938–1943 26th Manawatu National

He represented the Oroua electorate from 1928 to 1938,[2] having stood and come second in 1922 and 1925.[citation needed] In the 1931 election, Cobbe was returned unopposed.[3] He then represented the Manawatu electorate from 1938 to 1943, when he retired.[2]

He was a cabinet minister from 1928 to 1935 in the United Government and the Liberal-Reform coalition Government; Minister of Defence from 1929 to 1935, Minister of Justice from 1930 to 1935, Minister of Marine from 1928 to 1930 and 1931 to 1935, Minister of Immigration from 1928 to 1930, and Minister of Industries and Commerce from 1928 to 1929 in the Ward and Forbes Ministries of the United Government.[4]

He held a large number of public offices. He was the first chairman of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce. He was chairman of directors of the Feilding Farmers' Freezing Company. From 1911 to 1929, he represented Manawatu on the Wellington Harbour Board. For a time, he was the chairman of the Harbour Boards' Association of New Zealand.[5]

In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[6]

Family and death

Cobbe married Frances Amelia Elders, the daughter of Richard Elders of Phillipstown, Feilding.[7] They had three sons, Ernest, Maurice, Richard, and one daughter.[8] One son, Ernest Cobbe, died in action in Ypres, Belgium, in 1917;[9] son, Maurice Cobbe, survived the war.[10] His wife died during the 1935 election campaign on 24 November 1935.[7] In December 1944, age 85, he died at a private hospital in Palmerston North and was buried in Feilding.[1][8] Three great-great-grandchildren, Jon, Peter and Dann Hume were raised in Feilding where they formed a rock group, Evermore in 1999.[11][12]: 1 

Further reading

  • Carr, Clyde (1936), Politicalities, Wellington, [N.Z.]: National Magazines, pp. 59–61
  • Gibson, Tracey A. (1936), The purchase and settlement of the Manchester Block: an account of the development of the Feilding district, New Zealand, Feilding, [N.Z.]: Fisher Printing
  • Gibson, Tracey A. (1983), The purchase and settlement of the Manchester Block: an account of the development of the Feilding district, New Zealand, Christchurch, [N.Z.]: Capper
  • This is a facsimile (i.e. reprint) edition of the original work noted above.
  • Gibson, Tracey A. (2006), The purchase and settlement of the Manchester Block: an account of the development of the Feilding district, New Zealand, Christchurch, [N.Z.]: Kiwi Publications, ISBN 1-86964-224-4
  • The three editions of the above work are noted for the sake of completeness. Cobbe was the local MP for the area in 1936, and contributed a foreword for the book.
  • Nelson, Olaf F. (1930), A candid communication: Hon. Mr. Cobbe's speech on Samoa, Auckland, [N.Z.]: National Printing Co.
  • This is a letter from the author to Cobbe, who was Minister of Justice at the time. It is reprinted from the New Zealand Samoa Guardian of 13 November 1930 (n.p.).

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Gustafson 1986, p. 304.
  2. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 189.
  3. ^ "Wellington". Auckland Star. Vol. LXVI, no. 280. 26 November 1935. p. 12. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  4. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 80f.
  5. ^ "Obituary". Auckland Star. Vol. LXXVI, no. 1. 2 January 1945. p. 2. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Official jubilee medals". Evening Post. Vol. CXIX, no. 105. 6 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Obituary". Evening Post. Vol. CXX, no. 127. 25 November 1935. p. 17. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  8. ^ a b "The Hon. J. G. Cobbe". Evening Post. Vol. CXXXVIII, no. 156. 30 December 1944. p. 8. Retrieved 16 November 2013.
  9. ^ "Ernest Cobbe". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 7 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
  10. ^ "Maurice Cobbe". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 7 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
  11. ^ Nicholls, Bobbie (20 May 2009). "Cobbe Connection to Family Remembered". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 7 February 2023.
  12. ^ AudioCulture article "Evermore" by Murray Cammick:

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John Cobbe.
  • Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of Police
1929–1935 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of Justice
1930–1935 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Maurice Cohen
 Chair of Wellington Harbour Board
1927–1929 		Succeeded by
John William McEwan
New Zealand Parliament
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Oroua
1928–1938 		Constituency abolished
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Manawatu
1938–1943 		Succeeded by
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