1957 New Zealand general election

none April 2024 April 2018 1957 New Zealand general election New Zealand 1957 parliamentary no 1954 New Zealand general election 1954 31st New Zealand Parliament 1960 New Zealand general election 1960 33rd New Zealand Parliament All 80 seats in the New Zealand Parliament 41 seats were needed for a majority 1957 11 30 y elected members 1,157,365 (92.9%) 200x200px Walter Nash 17 January 1951 New Zealand Labour Party Hutt 35 seats, 44.1% 41 6 559,096 48.3% 4.2% 200x200px Keith Holyoake 13 August 1957 New Zealand National Party Pahiatua 45 seats, 44.3% 39 6 511,699 44.2% 0.1% 1957 New Zealand general election.svg 350px Results by electorate, shaded by winning margin Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Keith Holyoake Walter Nash New Zealand National Party New Zealand Labour Party The 1957 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 32nd term. It saw the governing National Party narrowly defeated by the Labour Party. The 1957 elections marked the beginning of the second Labour government, although this administration was to last only a single term. Background The National Party had formed its first administration after the 1949 elections, and had been re-elected in the 1951 elections and the 1954 elections. As its third term in office continued, however, the Prime Minister, Sidney Holland, became increasingly ill. Holland's memory began to fail, and he is believed to have suffered a mild heart attack while working in his office during the Suez Crisis.Gustafson Barry 5h30 Holland, Sidney George 30 October 2012 Barry Gustafson In mid-1957 a group of senior cabinet ministers led by Keith Holyoake, Jack Marshall, Jack Watts and party president, Sir Alex McKenzie, persuaded Holland to resign citing his health deterioration. Holland, albeit reluctantly, announced his retirement from the leadership at the National's annual party conference on 12 August 1957 held in Christchurch. Almost immediately after finishing his speech Holland collapsed backstage and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance.Gustafson 1986 72 Although his retirement was announced in August, Holland's continued presence prevented his successor, the deputy prime minister Holyoake, from establishing himself as a leader until late October, when at last he formed his own ministry which was still largely the same as his predecessor's.Sinclair 1976 299 Leadership was to play a key issue in the election. After spending many years in Holland's shadow, Holyoake, a reserved man lacking Holland's rapport with crowds, was unable to achieve any clear popular image in his own right. Labour's Walter Nash, by contrast, was one of the best-known people in the country, having been a party leader for many years and having been Finance Minister in the first Labour government before that.Sinclair 1976 299 Labour opened its campaign on 5 November with Nash broadcasting a speech from the Auckland Town Hall (despites some reservations of it coinciding with Guy Fawkes Night). The speech, mainly regarding Labour's economic policies, was regarded by listeners as excellent with Nash in fine speaking form. Nash would give over twenty other speeches at public meetings throughout the country where he attracted large and receptive crowds. One daytime meeting late in the campaign, Nash arrived behind schedule, and a crowd of employees forfeited an hour's pay (having already taken their lunchbreak) so they could hear him speak.Sinclair 1976 300 Holyoake, by contrast, attracted little interest in his meeting addresses (particularly in the South Island).Sinclair 1976 300 In terms of policy, the election campaign was dominated largely by financial issues, particularly regarding the introduction of the PAYE system of income tax. As a campaign promise, Labour announced that in the year that PAYE commenced, there would be a flat rebate of £100 on income tax. National, seeing the popularity of the policy, was forced into offering a similar policy. The Labour Party's president, Mick Moohan, seeing this popularity came to the view that the election was akin to an auction. He published a newspaper advertisement which boldly asked: 'DO YOU WANT £100 OR NOT?'.Sinclair 1976 301 Nash found the ad distasteful thinking it could be interpreted as a bribe. National attacked the ad as misleading by implying that everyone would receive a £100 rebate, whether or not they actually paid as much as £100 in tax.Sinclair 1976 302 Labour also campaigned to abolish compulsory military training, opposing nuclear tests, 3% housing loans, increased pension payments, free textbooks for school children and industrialisation.Sinclair 1976 299 National made no great changes to its existing policy platform. Electoral boundary changes As part of the redistribution process following the 1954 election, the Boundaries Commission made several adjustments to electorate boundaries. Two electorates were entirely abolished (Oamaru and Waimate), with two new constituencies created in their place (Piako and Waitaki). These changes reflected demographic shifts and ensured more equitable representation across regions.Listening On Election Night New Zealand Listener 29 November 1957 28 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/new-zealand-listener/1957/11/29/28 11 July 2025 The total number of electorates remained unchanged at 80, comprising 76 general and 4 Māori electorates, a configuration unchanged since the Fifteenth Parliament in 1902.Listening On Election Night New Zealand Listener 29 November 1957 28 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/new-zealand-listener/1957/11/29/28 11 July 2025 MPs retiring in 1957 Six National MPs intended to retire at the end of the 31st Parliament. No Labour MPs retired. Party Name Electorate National Ernest Corbett Egmont George Herron Awarua Sidney Holland Fendalton Tom Macdonald Wallace Edgar Neale Nelson Matthew Oram Manawatu Jack Massey also left parliament at the election. He intended to stand again in Franklin but was deselected as a candidate by the National Party.Gustafson 1986 235 The election The date for the main 1957 election was 30 November. 1,252,329 people were registered to vote, and turnout was 92.9%. This turnout, although only average for the time, was not to be equalled or exceeded until the 1984 election. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902. The Labour candidate for Clutha, Bruce Waters, died the day before the general election, and the election there was postponed to 18 January 1958.Norton 1988 209 The unusual situation of an electorate vote being delayed due to the death of a candidate did not occur again until the 2023 election.Cheng Derek Election 2023: Act candidate Neil Christensen dies, by-election to be held for Port Waikato https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/politics/election-2023-act-candidate-neil-christensen-dies/N2Z4P5MVKBAY5DJ7PDWLW27Y24/ 9 October 2023 The New Zealand Herald 9 October 2023 The election saw a record number of candidates: 259 individuals representing 13 distinct political parties or affiliations, the highest number since 1935. This marked a noticeable increase from the previous election, with four additional candidates and four more political groups contesting the vote.Listening On Election Night New Zealand Listener 29 November 1957 28 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/new-zealand-listener/1957/11/29/28 11 July 2025 Election results Party standings The 1957 election saw the governing National Party defeated by a narrow two-seat margin. It had previously held a ten-seat majority. National won a total of thirty-nine seats, while the Labour Party won forty-one. In the popular vote, National won 44% to Labour's 48%. The Social Credit Party won 7% of the vote, a drop from its previous result of 11%. It still won no seats. center Election resultsPartyCandidatesTotal votesPercentageSeats wonchangeNew Zealand Labour PartyLabour80559,09648.3141 +6 New Zealand National PartyNational80511,69944.2139 −6 Social Credit Party (New Zealand)Social Credit8083,4987.21 0 ±0 Communist Party of New ZealandCommunist57060.06 0 ±0Liberal Federation22820.02 0 ±0 Independent politicianIndependents11 2,084 0.18 0 ±0Total2581,157,36580 Votes summary Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 48.31 National New Zealand National Party 44.21 Social Credit Social Credit Party (New Zealand) 7.21 Others #777777 0.26 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 51.25 National New Zealand National Party 48.75 300px|thumb|Holyoake (right) congratulating Nash (left) on Labour's victory. The table below shows the results of the 1957 general election: Key New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand National Party Electorate results for the 1957 New Zealand general election. Norton 1988 ? |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates |- Ashburton Geoff Gerard New Zealand National Party 1,769 George Glassey New Zealand Labour Party Auckland Central Bill Anderton New Zealand Labour Party 3,856 Aileen Joyce New Zealand National Party Avon John Mathison New Zealand Labour Party 6,100 William Ernest Olds New Zealand National Party Awarua George Herron New Zealand National Party Gordon Grieve New Zealand National Party 1,636 J P WyattNorton 1988 197 New Zealand Labour Party Bay of Plenty Percy Allen New Zealand National Party 910 Godfrey Santon New Zealand Labour Party Buller Jerry Skinner New Zealand Labour Party 2,677 Norman Leon Bensemann New Zealand National Party Christchurch Central Robert Macfarlane New Zealand Labour Party 4,071 Colin McLachlan New Zealand National Party Clutha James Roy New Zealand National Party 1,490 Joseph Fahey nb The previous Labour candidate, Bruce Waters, died the day before the general election, so the election in Clutha was postponed to 18 January 1958Norton 1988 209 New Zealand Labour Party Dunedin Central Phil Connolly New Zealand Labour Party 1,778 Marcus Anderson New Zealand National Party Dunedin North Ethel McMillan New Zealand Labour Party 3,408 George Terry New Zealand National Party Eden Duncan Rae New Zealand National Party 498 Ian WatkinsNorton 1988 220 New Zealand Labour Party Egmont Ernest Corbett New Zealand National Party William Sheat New Zealand National Party 2,697 Clarence Robert Parker New Zealand Labour Party Fendalton Sidney Holland New Zealand National Party Jack Watts New Zealand National Party 824 Lawrence WhiteNorton 1988 224 New Zealand Labour Party Franklin Jack Massey New Zealand National Party Alfred E. Allen New Zealand National Party 4,241 Christopher Mountford New Zealand Labour Party Gisborne Reginald Keeling New Zealand Labour Party 1,182 Arthur MacPherson New Zealand National Party Grey Lynn Fred Hackett New Zealand Labour Party 5,785 Bernard Griffiths New Zealand National Party Hamilton Hilda Ross New Zealand National Party 1,110 Ben Waters New Zealand Labour Party Hastings Ted Keating New Zealand Labour Party 1,070 Arthur Henry Sivewright New Zealand National Party |- | Hauraki | style="background-color:New Zealand National Party;" | | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:;" | Arthur Kinsella | style="text-align:right;" | 1,161 | style="background-color:New Zealand Labour Party;" | | style="text-align:center;" | Brevat William Dynes |- Hawkes Bay Cyril Harker New Zealand National Party 2,858 Leonard Thomas Fischer New Zealand Labour Party Heretaunga Phil Holloway New Zealand Labour Party 5,117 Allan McCready New Zealand National Party Hobson Sidney Smith New Zealand National Party 3,134 Colin Moyle New Zealand Labour Party Hurunui William Gillespie New Zealand National Party 1,749 Lyn Christie New Zealand Labour Party Hutt Walter Nash New Zealand Labour Party 4,430 Lance Adams-Schneider New Zealand National Party Invercargill Ralph Hanan New Zealand National Party 679 Thomas Francis Doyle New Zealand Labour Party Island Bay Arnold Nordmeyer New Zealand Labour Party 4,209 Saul GoldsmithGustafson 1986 364f New Zealand National Party Karori Jack Marshall New Zealand National Party 3,061 Keith Spry New Zealand Labour Party Lyttelton Harry Lake New Zealand National Party Norman Kirk New Zealand Labour Party 567 Harry Lake New Zealand National Party Manawatu Matthew Oram New Zealand National Party Blair Tennent New Zealand National Party 1,575 Patrick Kelliher New Zealand Labour Party Manukau Leon Götz New Zealand National Party 159 Cyril Douglas Stamp New Zealand Labour Party Marlborough Tom Shand New Zealand National Party 1,782 Roy Evans New Zealand Labour Party Marsden Don McKay New Zealand National Party 2,088 Mervyn Allan Hosking New Zealand Labour Party Miramar Bill Fox New Zealand Labour Party 2,077 Clevedon Costello New Zealand National Party Mornington Wally Hudson New Zealand Labour Party 2,817 Walter MacDougall New Zealand National Party Mt Albert Warren Freer New Zealand Labour Party 3,987 Geoffrey Taylor New Zealand National Party Napier Jim Edwards New Zealand Labour Party 2,413 Ray Foster New Zealand National Party Nelson Edgar Neale New Zealand National Party Stan Whitehead New Zealand Labour Party 509 Colin Wilson Martin New Zealand National Party New Plymouth Ernest Aderman New Zealand National Party 657 Ron Barclay New Zealand Labour Party North Shore Dean Eyre New Zealand National Party 462 Peter Lawrence Smith New Zealand Labour Party Onehunga Hugh Watt New Zealand Labour Party 5,686 Donald Watson New Zealand National Party Onslow Henry May New Zealand Labour Party 2,675 Kevin O'Brien Gustafson 1986 381 New Zealand National Party Otago Central Jack George New Zealand National Party 2,788 J H Rapson New Zealand Labour Party Otahuhu James Deas New Zealand Labour Party 3,442 Clive Haszard New Zealand National Party Otaki Jimmy Maher New Zealand National Party 1,122 Cyril Shamy New Zealand Labour Party Pahiatua Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party 4,020 William Erle Rose New Zealand Labour Party Palmerston North Philip Skoglund New Zealand Labour Party 1,348 Bill Brown New Zealand National Party Patea Roy Jack New Zealand National Party 902 Benjamin R. Winchcombe New Zealand Labour Party Petone Mick Moohan New Zealand Labour Party 4,159 Dan Riddiford New Zealand National Party Piako Stan Goosman New Zealand National Party 3,812 Alistair Walker New Zealand Labour Party Ponsonby Ritchie Macdonald New Zealand Labour Party 6,592 Gordon Frederick Smith New Zealand National Party Raglan Hallyburton Johnstone New Zealand National Party Douglas Carter New Zealand National Party 161 Alan Baxter New Zealand Labour Party Rangitikei Norman Shelton New Zealand National Party 2,983 Stephen Malcolm Roberton New Zealand Labour Party Remuera Ronald Algie New Zealand National Party 4,766 Russell Penney New Zealand Labour Party Riccarton Mick Connelly New Zealand Labour Party 2,867 Deena V. SergelGustafson 1986 386 New Zealand National Party Rodney Jack Scott New Zealand National Party 3,112 George Webber New Zealand Labour Party Roskill John Rae New Zealand National Party Arthur Faulkner New Zealand Labour Party 2,117 John Rae New Zealand National Party Rotorua Ray Boord New Zealand Labour Party 2,009 Murray Linton New Zealand National Party Selwyn John McAlpine New Zealand National Party 1,731 Stanley Marshall Cook New Zealand Labour Party St Albans Jack Watts New Zealand National Party Neville Pickering New Zealand Labour Party 501 Eric Philip Wills Gustafson 1986 390 New Zealand National Party St Kilda Jim Barnes New Zealand National Party Bill Fraser New Zealand Labour Party 791 Jim Barnes New Zealand National Party Stratford Thomas Murray New Zealand National Party 3,172 J M Deegan New Zealand Labour Party Sydenham Mabel Howard New Zealand Labour Party 6,450 Oliver G. Moody New Zealand National Party Tamaki Eric Halstead New Zealand National Party Bob Tizard New Zealand Labour Party 589 Eric Halstead New Zealand National Party Tauranga George Walsh New Zealand National Party 3,342 Oliver Liddell New Zealand Labour Party Timaru Clyde Carr New Zealand Labour Party 2,954 Alfred Davey New Zealand National Party Waikato Geoffrey Sim New Zealand National Party 2,013 Arthur John Ingram New Zealand Labour Party Waipa Stan Goosman New Zealand National Party Hallyburton Johnstone New Zealand National Party 1,813 Albert Clifford Tucker New Zealand Labour Party Wairarapa Bert Cooksley New Zealand National Party 1,058 Bob Wilkie http://www.listener.co.nz/current-affairs/politics/interview-labour-deputy-grant-robertson/ Profile: Labour deputy Grant Robertson New Zealand Listener 3 March 2012 26 September 2014 Guyon Espiner Espiner Guyon New Zealand Labour Party Waitakere Rex Mason New Zealand Labour Party 3,682 Leonard Bradley New Zealand National Party Waitaki Thomas Hayman New Zealand National Party 1,618 A G Braddock New Zealand Labour Party Waitemata Norman King New Zealand Labour Party 2,191 Robert Muldoon New Zealand National Party Waitomo David Seath New Zealand National Party 2,474 Vic Haines New Zealand Labour Party Wallace Tom Macdonald New Zealand National Party Brian Talboys New Zealand National Party 4,319 John Reid New Zealand Labour Party Wanganui Joe Cotterill New Zealand Labour Party 1,419 Alice Kathleen Maclean New Zealand National Party Wellington Central Frank Kitts New Zealand Labour Party 1,685 Max Wall New Zealand National Party Westland Jim Kent New Zealand Labour Party 4,745 Fred Boustridge New Zealand National Party |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates |- Eastern Maori Tiaki Omana New Zealand Labour Party 4,197 Wiremu Hoete Maxwell New Zealand National Party Northern Maori Tapihana Paikea New Zealand Labour Party 4,310 Timothy James Davis New Zealand National Party Southern Maori Eruera Tirikatene New Zealand Labour Party 4,383 Thomas Stratton New Zealand National Party Western Maori Iriaka Rātana New Zealand Labour Party 5,553 Pei Te Hurinui Jones New Zealand National Party |} Table footnotes: nb Post-election events A number of local by-elections were required due to the resignations of incumbent local body politicians following the general election: Hugh Watt resigned his seat on the Auckland Harbour Board on 17 December 1957 after his appointment to cabinet.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19571218.2.113 Personal Items The Press 18 December 1957 XCVI 28463 14 There were two by-elections for the Christchurch City Council. Councillors Mabel Howard and John Mathison also resigned their seats following their election as cabinet ministers at the formation of the Second Labour government causing a by-election to replace them on the council. Likewise Robert Macfarlane resigned as Mayor of Christchurch upon his selection as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives. Macfarlane was succeeded as mayor by councillor George Manning.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19580519.2.69 Mayoralty to Mr Manning The Press 19 May 1958 XCVII 28589 10 McFarlane was elected for one of the vacant seats on the council, with the other seats being won by Bill Glue, Bill MacGibbon and Peter Skellerup.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19580519.2.73 Council Seats – Gain of Two by Citizens The Press 19 May 1958 XCVII 28589 10 Notes References Gustafson Barry Barry Gustafson The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party 1986 Reed Methuen Auckland 0-474-00177-6 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 Sinclair Keith Keith Sinclair Walter Nash 1976 Oxford University Press Auckland 0-19-647949-5 Wilson Jim Jim Wilson (librarian) New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Category:November 1957 in Oceania