Early life and career

Monteith was born in Woodville, the son of Sarah Ann Monteith (née Carter) and Charles Forrester Monteith, and was a farmer and storeman.^[1] He was secretary of the United Storemen's Union and later secretary of the Wellington Tramways Union and the New Zealand Tramway Workers' Federation.^[2]

Political career

In 1918, Monteith was nominated by the Soft Goods and Storeman's Union for the Labour nomination in the Wellington South by-election, but was defeated by Bob Semple.^[3] At the 1919 election, he was the Labour candidate in the Wellington East electorate, but was defeated by the Reform Party incumbent, Alfred Newman.^[1]

Monteith represented the Wellington East electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives between 1922 and 1925.^[4] In the 1922 election, he was one of four candidates, with Thomas Forsyth of the Reform Party coming second.^[5] In the 1925 election, he was beaten by Forsyth.^[6] Monteith was also a member of the Wellington City Council from 1923 until 1926 when he resigned.

Monteith later sought the Labour nomination for the 1936 by-election in the Manukau seat, but was beaten by Arthur Osborne.^[7]

Later life and death

For 21 years, from 1926 to 1947, the worker's assessor at New Zealand's Arbitration Court.^[8]

Monteith died on 24 November 1972 at Green Lane Hospital in Auckland, survived by five sons and two daughters.^[1] He had been admitted to hospital five weeks earlier following a stroke.^[8]