Hurunui (New Zealand electorate)
Hurunui was a parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury region of New Zealand, from 1902 (when it replaced Ashley) to 1963.
Population centres
The Representation Act 1900 had increased the membership of the House of Representatives from general electorates 70 to 76, and this was implemented through the 1902 electoral redistribution. In 1902, changes to the country quota affected the three-member electorates in the four main centres. The tolerance between electorates was increased to ±1,250 so that the Representation Commissions (since 1896, there had been separate commissions for the North and South Islands) could take greater account of communities of interest. These changes proved very disruptive to existing boundaries, and six electorates were established for the first time, including Hurunui, and two electorates that previously existed were re-established.[1]
The Hurunui electorate was rural. In the 1902 election, there were 34 polling stations, ranging from Amberley (the principal station), Kaikoura, Ashley, Sefton, Waikari, and Mackenzie.[2] In 1905, election meetings were held in Hawarden and Balcairn.[3]
History
The Hurunui electorate was first formed for the 1902 election, when it replaced the Ashley electorate. The first election in the new electorate was contested by five candidates: Richard Meredith of the Liberal Party, who was the incumbent from the Ashley electorate, Andrew Rutherford who also stood as a Liberal, George Forbes who stood as an Independent Liberal, as he did not gain the Liberal Party's nomination, Henry Reece, and George Thomas Pulley. Rutherford was successful, gaining almost twice the number of votes than the second-placed candidate, Reece.[4]
Three candidates contested the 1905 election. Rutherford was returned with more than twice the votes of Obed Frederick Clothier, and George Thomas Pulley came a distant third.[5][6]
Rutherford retired in 1908,[7] and George Forbes and Obed Frederick Clothier contested the 1908 election. Forbes was successful, and started his long parliamentary career that would see him hold the electorate for the next 35 years to 1943.[8][9] Forbes was Prime Minister from 1930 to 1935.[10]
William Gillespie succeeded Forbes in 1943 and held the electorate until his death in 1961.[11]
The last member was Herbert Pickering of the National Party from the 1961 by-election to 1963. Pickering transferred to the new Rangiora electorate in 1963.[12]
In 1954, Norman Kirk stood in Hurunui as the Labour candidate, his first venture into national (parliamentary) politics. He increased Labour's share of the vote considerably, but did not win.[13]
Members of Parliament
The electorate was represented by four Members of Parliament.[14]
Key
Election results
1961 by-election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | Herbert Pickering | 6,644 | 52.91 | ||
| Labour | A A Adcock | 4,760 | 37.91 | ||
| Social Credit | J Clark | 1,153 | 9.18 | ||
| Majority | 1,884 | 15.00 | |||
| Turnout | 12,557 | 74.13 | |||
| Registered electors | 16,940 | ||||
| National hold | Swing | ||||
1954 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | William Gillespie | 6,454 | 52.3 | -8.7 | |
| Labour | Norman Kirk | 4,059 | 32.9 | ||
| Social Credit | WL Cate | 1,829 | 14.8 | ||
| Majority | 2,395 | 19.4 | -2.6 | ||
| Turnout | 13,524 | 91.8 | +3.9 | ||
1931 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ± | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United | George Forbes | 6,151 | 73.67 | ||
| Labour | R. J. Logan[17] | 2,198 | 26.33 | ||
| Majority | 3,953 | 47.35 | |||
| Informal votes | 67 | 0.80 | |||
| Turnout | 8,416 | 79.83 | |||
| Registered electors | 10,543 | ||||
Notes
- ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 67f.
- ↑ "Hurunui". The Press. LIX (11440). 26 November 1902. p. 8. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ↑ "Hurunui". The Press. LXII (12367). 5 December 1905. p. 9. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ↑ "Election Notices". The Press. LIX (11443). 29 November 1902. p. 10. Retrieved 7 December 2012.
- ↑ "The General Elections". Star (8491). 7 December 1905. p. 4. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ↑ "The General Election, 1905". National Library. 1906. p. 3. Retrieved 8 December 2012.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 232.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 197.
- ↑ "The General Election, 1908". National Library. June 1906. pp. 16–17. Retrieved 14 April 2012.
- ↑ Gardner, W. J. "Forbes, George William - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 11 December 2011.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 199.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 227.
- ↑ Bassett, Michael. "Kirk, Norman Eric - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 8 November 2012.
- ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 265.
- 1 2 Norton 1988, p. 250.
- ↑ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ↑ "In Canterbury". Auckland Star. LXII (281). 27 November 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
References
- McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
- Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
- Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.