Background
McCallum was born in 1863 near Blenheim. He is the son of Archibald McCallum (1829–1905) from Glasgow, Scotland, who came to New Zealand in 1855 after a year in Victoria, Australia.
McCallum was born in 1863 near Blenheim. He is the son of Archibald McCallum (1829–1905) from Glasgow, Scotland, who came to New Zealand in 1855 after a year in Victoria, Australia.
A barrister from Blenheim, he held many local positions, including two years as Mayor of Blenheim. One of his main interests was the advancement of education. He received his education at schools in Blenheim and Renwick.
Although a large church, some 200 people could not get access to it due to overcrowding.
Their honeymoon took them to the Hot Lakes district, Napier, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, and Adelaide. By age 21, he passed his exam as a barrister and became a clerk with West. Sinclair, the Crown Solicitor for Marlborough.
After passing his final exam in 1885, he entered into a partnership with Sinclair. Major clients included the National Bank, and the Bank of New South Wales.
McCallum was Mayor of Blenheim in 1901–1903.
He also served on the town council as a councillor. He served on other local bodies, including the Marlborough Education Board, and the Wairau Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, and the Lower Wairau River Board. He was on the Board of Governors of Marlborough College until 1939, and was on the Victoria University College Council.
In the 1911 election, McCallum successfully contested the Wairau electorate for the Liberal Party, defeating the incumbent, John Duncan of the Reform Party.
McCallum was re-elected in 1914 and 1919, but was defeated in the 1922 election by Reform"s William Girling. On 11 June 1930, he was appointed to the Legislative Council.
He served for one term until 10 June 1937. He died on 1 February 1940 at Blenheim, and was buried at Omaka Cemetery.
One of his main interests was education, and was a member of Parliament"s Education Committee.