Addington Cemetery Tour Guide - Christchurch City Libraries

his son, Richard junior; and was a supporter of women’s rights. The organisation
which spearheaded ‘votes for women’, the Women’s Christian Temperance Union,
was a branch of the movement with which Taylor was involved.
Taylor opposed this country’s participation in the 1899-1902 Boer War at a time
when, to take such a stance, was considered to be against all that was held dear in the
British Empire. Needless to say, Seddon was a passionate supporter of the war.
Taylor’s stance led to his losing his seat after one term in Parliament though he was
later to regain it and serve a further six years.
It can be said that Taylor spread his interests over too wide a range of subjects. Had
he concentrated on prohibition, his cause might have had greater success.
In 1911 Taylor stood for the position of Mayor of Christchurch. New Zealand truth
described Taylor’s victory and the frustration of the Press.
The local Tory organ offered frantic opposition to Thomas which was about
the best means of securing his return, for anything that the Tory organ opposes
in Christchurch is sure of success. The Tory organ said that Taylor ‘s time
would be too much occupied with his parliamentary duties to enable him to
devote himself to the Mayoral business. But Taylor put up a big fight, won,
and, to show that the Tory organ was inaccurate in its estimation of the time at
his disposal, toured both islands in the Prohibition interest, even visiting the
wild, wet Coast. Then he brought down his scheme to raise 100, 000 pounds
for the reconstruction of the streets of Christchurch and, again, found the Tory
organ in opposition. Taylor, who, in addition to all this, had his private
business to attend to, immediately commenced a series of meetings throughout
Greater Christchurch to explain his scheme …
Perhaps, after all, the Press had a point. In the middle of his campaign, Taylor broke
down.
Truth wrote:
There were some people who predicted that a person with the physique of
Tommy Taylor couldn’t burn the candle of publicity at both ends very much
longer without breaking down and these predictions have, unfortunately,
proved true as, on Thursday evening last, the stormy petrel of New Zealand
politics breathed his last.
Taylor died of a perforated stomach ulcer and, at his funeral on a cold July day,
between 40,000 and 50, 000 people turned out to line the route to the cemetery.
Truth wrote:
Thomas Edward Taylor was without a doubt the most prominent figure in
New Zealand politics. He was absolutely fearless, and reckless of
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