The 1893 general election was contested by four candidates in Nelson: Graham (1289 votes), Richmond Hursthouse (1011 votes), John Kerr (910 votes) and William Lock (74 votes).[3] The 1896 general election was contested by Graham and Jesse Piper, who received 2061 and 1718 votes, respectively. Graham was thus elected with a majority of 343 votes.[4]
Independent Liberal
In 1894, Graham successfully opposed the Midland Railway Bill insofar as it proposed to abandon the obligations of the company to provide a railway to Nelson.[5]
As Chairman of the Banking Enquiry Committee of 1896, John Graham frequently came into conflict with the Premier Richard Seddon, the Minister of Lands, John McKenzie, and George Hutchison[6]
Public offices
Graham was for some years chairman of the Town Schools' Committee.[1] He was the first chairman of the Nelson Harbour Board and held that position for twelve years.[7] He served on the Nelson Education Board, the Board of Governors of Nelson College (1894) and Council of Victoria College in Wellington (1899–1912). He was also a member of the Nelson City Council.[8]
Death
Graham died in Feilding on 8 February 1926, after having lived in Nelson for practically all of his life.[1]
^Wood, G. Antony (ed.) (1996), Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament, Dunedin, [N.Z.]: University of Otago Press, p. 200 {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help)
^"Nelson City". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. XXVII, no. 281. 29 November 1893. p. 2. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
^"The Nelson Election". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. XXX, no. 292. 10 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
^Scholefield, Guy H. (ed.) (1940), A dictionary of New Zealand biography (2 vol.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: Dept. of Internal Affairs {{citation}}: |first= has generic name (help) I:316.
^The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: industrial, descriptive, historical, biographical facts, figures, illustrations (6 vol.), Wellington, [N.Z.]: Cyclopedia Co., 1897–1908 Vol. 5 (1906) p. 31.
