1974 Sydenham by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1974 Sydenham by-election New Zealand 1974 presidential no 1972 New Zealand general election 1972 general 1975 New Zealand general election 1975 general 1974 11 02 y 10,600 (51.88%) 100px John Kirk New Zealand Labour Party 6,664 62.9% 150x150px Joe Pounsford Social Credit Party (New Zealand) 1,778 16.8% Member Norman Kirk John Kirk New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand Labour Party The Sydenham by-election 1974 was a by-election held in the Sydenham electorate during the term of the 37th New Zealand Parliament on 2 November 1974. Eight candidates stood in total. Background The by-election was caused by the death of incumbent MP Norman Kirk of the Labour Party, who at the time was Prime Minister, on 31 August 1974.Bassett Michael 5k12 Kirk, Norman Eric 22 February 2016 Michael BassettWilson 1985 211 Sydenham was an electorate in Christchurch and was a safe Labour seat, the party having held it since its recreation in 1946. Media stating at the time "At any general election in Sydenham the only interest is in the size of the Labour Party candidate's majority."https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740903.2.126 Queue forming for safe seat The Press 4 September 1974 CXIV 33629 16 This was New Zealand's first parliamentary election with a voting age of 18 years.Jackson and McRobie 2005 xliv Candidates Labour Bill Rowling, who had replaced Kirk as Prime Minister, was given the option by Labour of replacing Kirk in Sydenham but chose to remain in his home electorate of Tasman despite it being a more marginal electorate. He felt too much affinity for Tasman to leave and also did not want to cause a second by-election there should he be successful.Grant 2014 420 His declination left the field open and several candidates emerged. They included:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741002.2.19 Mr John Kirk gaining support for Sydenham The Press 2 October 1974 CXIV 33654 2 Veronica Alexander, vice-chair of the Sydenham Labour Party and teacher at the Christchurch Technical Institute Gordon Batt, a schoolteacher from Hamilton David Brine, a Labour candidate for the Christchurch City Council in 1971 Alex Clark, a member of the Canterbury Hospital Board and Labour candidate for Rakaia in 1972 Mollie Clark, a Christchurch City Councillor and candidate for Papanui in 1972 Alan Charles Eyles, an agricultural scientist and candidate for the North Canterbury Catchment Board Brian Griffiths, a postmaster from Clinton who was Labour candidate for Otago Central in 1966 and 1969 John Kirk, secretary of the Napier Hotel Workers' Union – son of Norman Kirk Bill Massey, a company director and Christchurch City Councillor Te Rino Tirikatene, Labour candidate for Rangiora in 1963 and 1966 – brother of Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan John Wybrow, general secretary of the Labour Party Wybrow was initially the heavy favourite to win the nomination, so much so that he withdrew his place as a candidate on the Labour ticket for the Wellington City Council at the 1974 local elections.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740913.2.2 Mr Wybrow to be member for Sydenham The Press 13 September 1974 CXIV 33638 1 The secretary of the Sydenham branch, Michael O'Neill, was initially a candidate as well but withdrew from the process prior to the selection meeting.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741004.2.127 One candidate withdrew The Press 4 October 1974 CXIV 33656 14 The selection meeting was held on 3 October and each of the 11 candidates gave a 10 minute speech before the six-person selection committee withdrew at 9:30 to consider the candidates. At 11:15 the party president Charles Bennett announced that Kirk had been selected as the candidate.John Kirk Selected for Sydenham Seat Otago Daily Times 4 October 1974 34932 1 Initially the three Labour electorate representatives wanted Kirk while the three head office nominees wanted Wybrow. Gerald O'Brien, the party vice-president who was on the panel to choose the Labour candidate, broke the deadlock and switched his vote to Kirk, who got the nod.Grant 2014 420 Before his death Norman Kirk had talked to cabinet minister Warren Freer very frankly about his family, and made it quite clear that if any of his sons wished to have a political career, he hoped it would be Robert or Philip, but not John.Freer 2004 185, 202 National The National Party decided not to stand a candidate. This followed on from a decision by National to refrain from political activities in the wake of Kirk's death.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740903.2.146 No political activity by Opposition The Press 4 September 1974 CXIV 33629 16 However, a previous National candidate, Saul Goldsmith from Wellington, stood as an Independent National candidate.Traue 1978 124 As Goldsmith had gone directly against the decision of the party's dominion executive, party president George Chapman recommended the suspension of his membership. After discussions with the Canterbury-Westland division of the party it was felt that it was no longer necessary to suspend Goldsmith and that public announcements that he was neither an official candidate nor party endorsed had made the party's stance clear to the public.Party Rebel Not Dropped The New Zealand Herald 17 October 1974 18 Prior to the decision not to contest the seat John Burn, a Citizens' Association candidate for the North Ward of the Christchurch City Council at the upcoming local-body election, was rumoured to be a potential National candidate. He had contested the seat in 1972.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19740911.2.8 Labour begins work for by-election The Press 11 September 1974 CXIV 33636 1 Social Credit The Social Credit Party chose Joe Pounsford as its candidate. Pounsford was a sub-branch secretary and executive member of the Canterbury branch of the Meat Workers' Union and had contested Sydenham for Social Credit four times previously (in 1960, 1963, 1966 and 1969) before standing in Lyttelton in 1972. During his campaign he challenged National leader Robert Muldoon to "face up or shut up" by challenging him to a public debate on industrial relations in response to anti-union remarks Muldoon had been making since becoming National leader in July.Muldoon receives 'face up' challenge The Dominion 8 October 1974 68 11 1 Values The Values Party selected Andy Lea, a 26 year old wine and spirit merchant for Quill Morris, as their candidate. Lea ran two campaigns at once as he was also a Values candidate for the North Ward of the Christchurch City Council at the upcoming local-body elections.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19741001.2.145 Values Party candidate The Press 1 October 1974 CXIV 33653 13 Results The by-election was won by John Kirk, Norman Kirk's son.Wilson 1985 211 This was John Kirk's entry into Parliament and he would hold the Sydenham electorate for ten years. John Kirk received 63% of the vote; Joe Poundsford of the Social Credit Party came second with 17%. The table below contains the election results: Notes References Warren Freer Freer Warren W A Lifetime in Politics: the memoirs of Warren Freer 2004 Victoria University Press Wellington 0-86473-478-6 Grant David The Mighty Totara: The life and times of Norman Kirk 2014 Random House Auckland 9781775535799 Jackson and McRobie 2005 Historical dictionary of New Zealand 2005 Scarecrow Press xliv http://chapters.scarecrowpress.com/08/108/081085306Xch1.pdf William Keith Jackson second Alan McRobie 5 May 2013 PDF Chronology https://web.archive.org/web/20120915130524/http://chapters.scarecrowpress.com/08/108/081085306Xch1.pdf 15 September 2012 dead Norton Clifford New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science 1988 Victoria University of Wellington Wellington 0-475-11200-8 Who's Who in New Zealand, 1978 Traue James Edward Jim Traue 1978 11th Reed Publishing Wellington Wilson James Oakley New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 4th First ed. published 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Category:By-elections in New Zealand Category:1974 elections in New Zealand Category:1970s in Christchurch Category:Politics of Christchurch Category:November 1974 in Oceania