In 1933, Holland unexpectedly died of a heart attack, attending the funeral of the Maori King Te Rata Mahuta in Huntly.
He was given a state funeral, and hailed by his friends as a "compassionate champion of the common people".
Holland had died in debt.
At the time the position of Leader of the Opposition did not have a higher salary to cover the extra costs that the office demanded.
Holland's son freely served as his secretary and also received help from friends to avoid being forced out of parliament on financial grounds.
Holland had been receiving less money than a general labourer and the Prime Minister George Forbes approved a paid full-time secretary and a ₤600 grant to Holland's widow.
He was survived by five sons and two daughters.

Holland's successor, the more moderate Michael Joseph Savage, went on to lead the Labour Party to victory in the 1935 election.
 He has a memorial in the Bolton Street Cemetery in Wellington, near to that of Richard Seddon, unveiled in 1937 by Savage with the inscription "This monument is dedicated to Henry Edmund Holland Leader of the Labour Party 1919-33 to commemorate his work for humanity.
He devoted his life to free the world from unhappiness, tyranny and oppression."

Holland was an avid reader in his adult life due to his short time of schooling in his youth.
In the South Island mining town of Seddonville, within Holland's Buller electorate, a library was named in his memory.
In 1933, Holland unexpectedly died of a heart attack, attending the funeral of the Maori King Te Rata Mahuta in Huntly. He was given a state funeral, and hailed by his friends as a "compassionate champion of the common people". Holland had died in debt. At the time the position of Leader of the Opposition did not have a higher salary to cover the extra costs that the office demanded. Holland's son freely served as his secretary and also received help from friends to avoid being forced out of parliament on financial grounds. Holland had been receiving less money than a general labourer and the Prime Minister George Forbes approved a paid full-time secretary and a ₤600 grant to Holland's widow. He was survived by five sons and two daughters.
Holland's successor, the more moderate Michael Joseph Savage, went on to lead the Labour Party to victory in the 1935 election.  He has a memorial in the Bolton Street Cemetery in Wellington, near to that of Richard Seddon, unveiled in 1937 by Savage with the inscription "This monument is dedicated to Henry Edmund Holland Leader of the Labour Party 1919-33 to commemorate his work for humanity. He devoted his life to free the world from unhappiness, tyranny and oppression."
Holland was an avid reader in his adult life due to his short time of schooling in his youth. In the South Island mining town of Seddonville, within Holland's Buller electorate, a library was named in his memory.
Harry Holland