James was the eldest son of Alfred Bond and Sarah, née Shiner, born on 12 December 1858 in Beaminster.

[2] James arrived at Whanganui in 1878,[3] working as a job printer at the Rangitikei Advocate.

[18] James married Ellen Octavia Graham on 29 March 1905 at Ponsonby[19] and had 3 more children.

[25] In 1902 he sold the Waikato Times to Paull & Venables and was presented with a desk by his employees.

[1] He was on Cambridge Borough Council for 9 years,[4] including being mayor from 22 November 1892,[31] re-elected unopposed in 1894[32] and serving until 1895.