Martin Lightband

Martin Lightband (1831 – 1 August 1914) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.^[1]

Early life

Born in Worcester, England in 1831, he arrived at Nelson in 1842 on the Thomas Harrison with his parents, Mr and Mrs G W Lightband. Lightband was 10 years old when he arrived.^[2] He lived in Nelson almost his entire life, except for a brief stay in Christchurch. His younger brother, G W W Lightband was killed in a canoe accident at Tahuna on 1 June 1909.^[3]

Business interests

Lightband worked in his fathers tanning business as a tanner. Later he went into partnership with Benjamin Jackson as boot, shoe, and leather merchants. In 1865 the partnership was dissolved and Lightband continued on his own in premises in Collingwood Street.^[4] In 1858 he was one of the founders of the Nelson Coal Mining Company and was involved in the development of the Pakawau coal mine.^[5][6] Lightband was elected a Director of the unsuccessful Culliford Gold Mining Company in 1869 and in 1870 was one of the provisional Directors of the Nelson Patent Slip Company.^[7][8][9]

In 1896 Lightband started in business as a grain merchant.

On 25 April 1888 he helped found the Nelson Bowling Club.^[10] and his own lawn was used for matches until the clubs greens were completed later in 1888.

Political career

Lightband took a keen interest in Imperial, colonial, and local affairs. He was asked to stand in Westport in 1867, but declined.^[11] The budget of 1870 provoked heated discussion in Nelson and a public meeting was called to condemn it. Lightband spoke in the budget's favour and after further debate the meeting ended with those attending supporting the budget.^[12]

Lightband, in absentia, was put forward as a candidate for the 1871 election.^[13] He was described by Mr Burns, who nominated him, as a thorough hardworking, painstaking, straightforward businessman. Mr Tregea seconded the nomination. The candidates for election were Oswald Curtis, Lightband, J C Richmond, and Joseph Shephard. Polling day was 6 February 1871.^[14] In his election campaign he spoke support for the Vogel Scheme with the proviso that the money was spend wisely and for immigration provided it was to the betterment of the colony. He was also in favour taxing property and income, but not in favour of compulsory education due the financial constraints of the time. New Zealand was described as in a depression and heavily dependent on borrowing.^[15] The editorial of the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chroncile dismissed Lightband as

but a tyro in politics, and that his opinions are crude and but half formed.

The paper's editor supported Richmond, a Stafford supporter, as did Curtis. Lightband was considered a Liberal for supporting Vogel.^[16]

Lightband and Curtis were elected to represent Nelson.^[17] Lightband represented the City of Nelson electorate from 1871 to 1872, when he resigned.^[18] On 25 August 1871 he was appointed to a Select Committee on the producing and manufacturing resources of the colony.^[19] Among one of the more unusual recommendations of the Committee was encouraging German migrants to come and grow beetroot.^[20]

In September Lighband supported the abolition of grand juries.^[21] Later during his term the Nelson-Foxhill railway was approved for construction. Lightband supported its construction.^[22]

Despite being opposed to Stafford when elected and during his term in Parliament, Lightband spoke highly of him. Stafford stated that he considered Lightband among the men he would like to see at the head of the colony's affairs.^[23]

Wooden tramway dispute

On 8 January 1872 the Nelson Evening Mail published and article suggesting wooden tramways in the Upper Buller District. Lightband then wrote to the Evening Mail supporting the construction of wooden tramways within the area.^[24] The letter seemed to imply that he preferred these over conventional railways such as the proposed Nelson-Foxhill Line. The paper's editor then responded suggesting that Lightband was vacillating and not standing for what he had said he would.^[25] In a letter to the editor a prominent citizen Wm Rout wrote expressing concern and dismay at Lightband's letter.^[26] Similar letters followed from others.^[27] Even the Colonist, which supported Lightband, expressed concern in its editorial, but noted that as Lightband was absent from Nelson they would need to wait for clarification.^[28] On his return at the end of January from the West Coast Lightband responded to his critics. He stated that in his opinion the proposed Nelson-Foxhill line would take a long time to construct and that his preference was for a more rapid opening up of the area, hence the wooden tramway.^[29] The debate continued with support for Lighband coming from outlying area's and opposition from within his electorate.

On 19 March 1872 the Colonist editorial announced Lightband's intention to sail for England via San Francisco in April of the year. It also stated that he would be resigning from Parliament.^[30] Whether his resignation and journey were because of the controversy or not is not stated. Sir David Monro, Richmond, and David Luckie stood to replace him.^[31] Lightband's letter of 16 April gave formal notice of his resignation and was published in Nelson Evening Mail.^[32]

Journey to England

Lightband sailed from Nelson to the Manukau on the steamer Phoebe on 16 April, the same day as his resignation. His journey to England was via Honolulu, San Francisco, thence overland to New York.^[33] He intended to travel for about 9 months, promoting New Zealand.^[34] Lightband sailed from Auckland on the 2,166 ton paddle steamer Nevada on 21 April.^[35] News of his arrival in England was reported in the Nelson Evening Mail on 11 September.^[36] Citing a European Mail correspondent, Anglo Australian, it said that Lightband was dissatisfied with the Honolulu to San Francisco leg of his journey and hoped to find any novelty's in England that might advance New Zealand industry.

Lightband sailed from Galle on the P and O 1,790 ton steamship RMSS Behar on 28 October 1872. The ship encountered rough weather during its passage, arriving in King George Sound on 14 November 1872.^[37] Lighband sailed with the ship to Melbourne.

Given Lightband sailed from Galle to Australia on his return voyage, his most likely route would have been from Southampton to Alexandria, Egypt, overland to Suez, and then steamship to Galle.^[38] If Lightband was feeling particularly prosperous he may have sailed through the Suez Canal, but it was more expensive and slower than the overland route by rail to Suez.

From Melbourne Lightband sailed to Bluff on the 765 ton steam ship Albambra. It left Port Phillip on 8 December 1872 and arrived at Bluff on 12 December 1872 along with his wife and child.^[39][40] They reached Nelson on 20 December.^[41]

Return to local politics

By mid May 1873 he was again advocating opening of access to the Buller-Reefton area to enable the exploitation of its mineral reserves.^[42] Then in July 1873 he wrote to the Editor of the Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle supporting the establishment of a Municipality.^[43] In late July early August 1873 he had joined the outcry against proposed increased tariffs on goods, although he was in favour of using them to protect local industry.^[44]

In 1902 he was elected to the Nelson City Council and remained a Councillor almost up until his death.

Lightband died peacefully in his sleep at his home "Wainui" on 1 August 1914, after suffering a stroke several days earlier. Lightband was 83.

"Wainui" was located in Nile Street East, Nelson and was built by his father. The family must have been relatively well off from quite early on, because Lightband's wife advertised for a female servant in 1859.^[45]

References