John Barr (New Zealand politician)

The Honourable John Barr
John Barr chiselling a stone, ca 1930
8th Chairman of Committees of the Legislative Council
In office 8 July 1925 – 7 December 1930
Preceded by	Oliver Samuel
Succeeded by	Edward Henry Clark
Member of the New Zealand Legislative Council
In office 22 January 1907 – 7 December 1930
Personal details
Born	1 January 1867 Paisley, Scotland
Died	7 December 1930(1930-12-07) (aged 63) Dunedin, New Zealand
Resting place	Bromley Cemetery
Political party	Labour
Spouse(s)	Helen Barr

John Barr (1 January 1867 – 7 December 1930) was a New Zealand politician representing labour interests. A stonemason by trade, he was involved in many organisations, was a community leader in Redcliffs and became Mayor of Sumner. The establishment of Redcliffs School is credited to him. He was a Member of the Legislative Council for 23 years, where he held the role of Chairman of Committees for the years before his death.

Barr was born in Paisley, Scotland, in 1867, and attended a public school at Pollokshaws. His parents were John Barr and Mary Brown. His first job was in a weaving factory in Glasgow. He became interested in social reform in Scotland and advocated for unions and temperance.

On 8 Feb 1888, he married Helen McPherson Niddrie (b. 6 December 1867 in Stirling). They had seven children in Scotland (their eldest died before they emigrated) and a further three in New Zealand.

He was employed as a stonemason and telegraph linesman in the United States, Canada and British Columbia. In 1902, he immigrated to New Zealand and settled at Redcliffs near Sumner, where he became the leader of the small community (by 1905, Redcliffs had 70 residents). He continued to work as a stonemason and worked on ChristChurch Cathedral, the Trinity Congregational Church and later the pillars for the World War I memorial lamps along Sumner Esplanade.

He was active with many organisations. He founded the Christchurch Trades and Labour Council and became its first president. He was chairman of the Christchurch Tramway Board. He was chairman of the Sumner School committee (1904–1907) at a time when the school was overcrowded (100 pupils were accommodated in two classrooms) and Redcliffs' children had to walk there, as the Education Board would not subsidise tram fares. Barr campaigned for a school at Redcliffs, which was opened on 16 September 1907.