He emigrated to Melbourne in 1858 and after some time on gold fields, he worked for The Age alongside George Fisher.
[1] The newspaper was a rarity in that it openly declared its political affiliation; it was a supporter of the labour movement.
[3] Kerr was on a journey home from New Zealand Parliament in Wellington when he became severely ill with asthma.
[5] His eldest son, also James Kerr (1875–1938), became proprietor of the Grey River Argus.
[7][8] Kerr Jr. was an unsuccessful candidate for the United Party when he stood in the Hutt electorate in the 1929 by-election and 1931 election.