1959 Lower Hutt mayoral election

none April 2024 1959 Lower Hutt mayoral election New Zealand Presidential no 1956 Lower Hutt mayoral election 1956 1962 Lower Hutt mayoral election 1962 17 November 1959 12,182 (38.82%) 150x150px Percy Dowse New Zealand Labour Party 7,372 60.51 100px George Wain Independent politician 4,501 36.94 Mayor Percy Dowse Percy Dowse The 1959 Lower Hutt mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. The elections were held for the role of Mayor of Lower Hutt plus other local government positions including fifteen city councillors, also elected triennially. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method. Background The incumbent Mayor, Percy Dowse, sought re-election for a fourth term. Dowse was opposed by George Wain who stood as an independent candidate. Dowse received a swing against the majority he won in 1956 against former councillor Will Giltrap. This confounded expectations as Wain had no previous civic experience and had only lived in the area for a few years. Just as in the previous election the Citizens' Association (whose tickets won no seats at the 1950 and 1953 elections) did not stand an official ticket of candidates and endorsed a slate of 10 independents while also recommending five of the sitting Labour councillors for re-election. The Ratepayer Independents polled far better than expected with nine of its candidates being elected and only six Labour councillors were re-elected (five of whom were endorsed by the Ratepayer Independents). Sam Chesney was the only Labour councillor elected without their endorsement.Independents Under Labour Mayors at Hutt and Petone The Evening Post 23 November 1959 10 The main talking point in the election was the council's finances. The Citizens' Association criticised Dowse and challenged him to resign over a NZ£75,000 loan for the second stage of the Maungaraki development. Concern over debt cut into Dowse's majority and helped the Ratepayer Independents win so many seats.McGill 1991 171 The overall anti-Labour vote (which was consistent nationwide) was attributed to the unpopularity of the then Labour government.Anti-Labour Trend Was General The Evening Post 23 November 1959 10 Prime Minister Walter Nash (whose parliamentary seat encompassed Lower Hutt City) commented simply "We seem to have held the mayoralties" in reference that in Lower Hutt, Wellington and Christchurch Labour mayors were re-elected despite voters electing majority centre-right councils.Have Held the Mayoralties---P.M. The Evening Post 23 November 1959 10 Mayoral results 1959 Lower Hutt mayoral electionCity of Lower Hutt - Election of Mayor The Evening Post 1 December 1959 2 New Zealand Labour Party Percy Dowse 7,372 60.51 -7.89 Independent politician George Wain 4,501 36.94 309 2.53 +2.26 2,871 23.56 -13.96 12,182 38.82 -4.61 Councillor results 1959 Lower Hutt City Council electionCity of Lower Hutt - Election of Fifteen Councillors The Evening Post 1 December 1959 2 New Zealand Labour Party Trevor Young 8,582 70.44 +0.38 New Zealand Labour Party James McDonald 8,425 69.15 -2.15 New Zealand Labour Party Chen Werry 8,250 67.72 +0.42 New Zealand Labour Party Jessie Donald 8,202 67.32 -1.01 New Zealand Labour Party Wally Bugden 7,878 64.66 -0.07 Independent politician George Barker 7,439 61.06 Independent politician Alwin Atkinson 7,240 59.43 +13.98 Independent politician Cyril Phelps 6,896 56.60 +13.36 Independent politician Isaac Richard Robinson 6,778 55.63 New Zealand Labour Party Sam Chesney 6,550 53.76 -16.39 Independent politician Donald Marshall Wilson 6,507 53.41 Independent politician Keith Thomas 6,415 52.65 Independent politician Dave Hadley 6,317 51.85 Independent politician William Davidson Smith 6,217 51.03 Independent politician Ray Torrie 6,182 50.74 New Zealand Labour Party Wally Mildenhall 6,117 49.81 -15.73 New Zealand Labour Party Walter Fraser 5,915 48.55 Independent politician George Francis Oliver Thomson 5,894 48.38 New Zealand Labour Party Alexander Murray 5,842 47.95 -16.02 New Zealand Labour Party Bert Sutherland 5,807 47.66 -17.59 New Zealand Labour Party William John Jarvis 5,660 46.46 New Zealand Labour Party William Mouat McLaren 5,652 46.39 -18.93 New Zealand Labour Party Allan Patrick Ryan 5,219 42.84 -15.95 New Zealand Labour Party Joseph Stanislaus O'Brien 5,014 41.15 New Zealand Labour Party William Riley 4,902 40.23 -19.62 Notes References Millar David P. Once Upon a Village: A History of Lower Hutt 1819-1965 1972 New Zealand University Press & LHCC Lower Hutt 154232923 McGill David Lower Hutt – The First Garden City Lower Hutt City Council 1991 Petone, New Zealand 1-86956-003-5 Category:Mayoral elections in Lower Hutt Category:1959 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Wellington Region