Jeremiah Connolly

Jeremiah Connolly (1875 – 2 October 1935) was an Independent Liberal Member of Parliament for Mid-Canterbury, in the South Island of New Zealand.

Early life

Connolly was born in Geraldine in 1875 and educated at Hilton School. He was a farmer. In 1902 Connolly purchased the Raukapuka Estate, which he sold in 1919. He then acquired the Langley Estate at Rakaia.

During World War I Connolly was a member of the National Efficiency Board (1914–18) and of various patriotic societies.^[1]

Member of Parliament

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1931–1935	24th	Mid-Canterbury		Independent Liberal

Connolly stood as an Independent Coalition Liberal in support of the United/Reform Coalition in the 1931 election and was successful.^[2] He represented the Mid-Canterbury electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives until his death in 1935.

In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.^[3]

Death

He collapsed and died in a taxi-cab in Wellington, when going from Parliament to his hotel. He was stated to have had heart problems.^[4]

References

1. A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography, edited by G.H. Scholefield, Volume 1 page 172, 1940, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington.
2. See Wilson (Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.). But Wood (Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press. p. 88.) described Connolly as a 'Liberal', and Dick Habershon (Habershon, Richard G. (1958), A Study in Politics: 1928-31 [M.A. - University of Auckland] [Appendix p.xx]) noted him as United in 1928; and as a 'Liberal Coalitionist' in 1931.
3. "Official jubilee medals". The Evening Post. 6 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 2 July 2013.
4. "Mr. J. Connolly, MP". The Evening Post CXX (82). 3 October 1935. p. 11. Retrieved 16 November 2013.

Further reading

• "Our people: Laetitia Lucy and Jeremiah Connolly", Ashburton Guardian, 15 November 2006 p.7.

• Habershon, Richard G. (1958), A Study in Politics: 1928-31 [M.A. - University of Auckland]

• Wilson, James Oakley (1985), The New Zealand Parliamentary Record: 1840–1984 (4th ed.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: Government Printer

• Wood, G. Antony (ed.) (1996), 'Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press.', Dunedin, [N.Z.]: Otago University Press, ISBN 1-877133-00-0