1927 Raglan by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1927 Raglan by-election New Zealand 1927 By-election no 1925 New Zealand general election 1925 general 1928 New Zealand general election 1928 general 1927 09 29 y 6,050 (98.47%) 150x150px Lee Martin New Zealand Labour Party 2,200 36.36 150x150px Harry Waring Reform Party (New Zealand) 2,025 33.47 150x150px Thomas Parker New Zealand Liberal Party 1,095 18.09 Member Richard Bollard Lee Martin Reform Party (New Zealand) New Zealand Labour Party The Raglan by-election of 1927 was a by-election held in the Raglan electorate during the 22nd New Zealand Parliament, on 29 September 1927.Scholefield 1950 125 It was caused by the death of incumbent MP Richard Bollard of the Reform Party. Despite being a local contest it quickly became a national contest in miniature due to growing discontent with the Reform Government.Bassett 1995 125 Background Labour Lee Martin, a farmer from Matangi, was selected by the Labour Party to contest the seat. He was president of the Waikato Farmers' Union and had contested the Hamilton electorate in 1925, where he placed second out of three candidates.Other Candidates https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19270906.2.128 12 May 2020 Auckland Star LVIII 210 6 September 1927 9 Labour's candidate at the previous two elections—Ernest Piggott—announced his candidacy as an independent Labour candidate after losing the nomination to Martin.Candidates Announced https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/THD19270831.2.78 12 May 2020 Timaru Herald CXXV 17741 31 August 1927 11 He later withdrew his candidacy. Following their stunning win at the Eden by-election the previous year, Labour were confident of winning.Bassett 1982 37 Liberal Samuel Charles Gale Lye, who contested Raglan for the Liberals in 1922 and 1925, declined to be a candidate again citing pressures of personal affairs. Thomas Parker was chosen for the by-election. Parker, a local sheep and dairy farmer and director of the Raglan Co-operative Dairy Company, had been chairman of the Raglan Town Board since 1917 and was also a member of the Raglan County Council. He professed to have received requests from all parts of the electorate that he stand as a candidate. Parker was endorsed by former Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward who campaigned in the electorate for him.Bassett 1982 37 Reform The Reform Party had yet to streamline its candidate selection process which had caused it to lose the recent Eden by-election when official and "independent" Reformers competed against each other.Bassett 1995 125 Seven nominees came forward seeking the Reform nomination; E Allen, S. S. Allen, Campbell Johnstone, W. Seavill, S. G. R. Taylor, Harry Waring, Mervyn Wells. After addresses by each of the candidates three ballots were taken, the final of which gave a clear majority to Waring.The Raglan Seat https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIKIN19270913.2.14 12 May 2020 Waikato Independent XXVII 2835 13 September 1927 4 Waring was a former farmer from Taupiri who later established a butchery. He had been chairman of Bollard's campaign committee at previous elections.The Raglan Seat https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MS19270912.2.46 12 May 2020 Manawatu Standard XLVII 244 12 September 1927 6 He had previously been president of the Waikato A. and P. Association and also president of the Raglan branch of the Reform Party. Marilyn Waring was to be his great-granddaughter. Others William James Taylor, who had previously been associated with the Reform Party announced his intention to contest the by-election as an independent candidate. He had been the chairman of the Tuakau Town Board since 1920. Campaign The by-election was a disaster for the Reform Government of New Zealand. The rural seat was previously safe for Reform, but the party selected an inexperienced non-entity (Waring) who was opposed by an "independent Reform" candidate and a Liberal Party candidate; splitting the conservative vote. The Huntly coal-miners gave Labour's Martin a solid, dependable lack-lustre farmer their overwhelming support. Prime Minister Gordon Coates who had criss-crossed the electorate with three other ministers was humiliated; though Coates himself had drawn good crowds (800 in Waiuku).Bassett 1995 125 Results The following table gives the election results: The election was won by Lee Martin with a majority of just 175, he carried only nine of the fifty booths. Martin won huge majorities among the coal mining areas in the Huntly district which carried the day for him.Bassett 1995 125 Labour's deputy leader Michael Joseph Savage had campaigned for Martin in Waiuku and Te Uku where Labour's vote increased from 31 to 80 and 2 to 38 respectively. The election was proclaimed a success for Labour's new farming policy (co-written by Savage) and Martin became the first farmer elected to Parliament as a Labour candidate.Gustafson 1986 132 Reform sympathetic newspapers such as The New Zealand Herald and The Press were critical of the vote splitting that was continuing to allow Labour to win seats with small majorities and on minority votes.Bassett 1995 125-6 The more impartial Auckland Star noted the impressive recuperation of votes by the Liberal Party.Labour Wins http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19270930.2.28 23 April 2016 Auckland Star LVIII 231 30 September 1927 5 Aftermath Martin held Raglan until 1931, when he was defeated by Stewart Reid but won the seat back in 1935. He remained MP for Raglan until 1943 when he retired.Wilson 1985 218 Waring's great-granddaughter Marilyn Waring was later elected MP for Raglan (for the National Party) in 1975.1 Way 2 C the World: Writings 1984–2006 Waring Marilyn University of Toronto Press 2009 10 Notes References Bassett Michael Three Party Politics in New Zealand 1911–1931 Michael Bassett 1982 Historical Publications Auckland 0-86870-006-1 Bassett Michael Michael Bassett Coates of Kaipara 1995 Auckland University Press Auckland 1-86940-117-4 Gustafson Barry Barry Gustafson From the Cradle to the Grave: a biography of Michael Joseph Savage 1986 Reed Methuen Auckland 0-474-00138-5 Scholefield Guy New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 Guy Scholefield 3rd First ed. published 1913 1950 Govt. Printer Wellington Wilson James Oakley New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Raglan Category:1927 elections in New Zealand Raglan by-election, 1927 Category:September 1927 in Oceania