1956 Riccarton by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 April 2022 1956 Riccarton by-election New Zealand 1956 presidential 1954 New Zealand general election 1954 general 1957 New Zealand general election 1957 general 27 October 1956 10,698 (66.28%) 150x150px Mick Connelly New Zealand Labour Party 6,549 61.45 100px Balfour Dingwall New Zealand National Party 2,691 25.25 150x150px Wilfrid Owen Social Credit Party (New Zealand) 1,379 12.94 MP Angus McLagan New Zealand Labour Party Mick Connelly New Zealand Labour Party The Riccarton by-election 1956 was a by-election held in the Riccarton electorate in Christchurch during the term of the 31st New Zealand Parliament following the death of the Labour Party incumbent. The by-election, held on 27 October 1956, was won by Mick Connelly, also of the Labour Party.Wilson 1985 190 Background The by-election was caused by the death of incumbent MP Angus McLagan of the Labour Party on 4 September 1956.Wilson 1985 216 McLagan, who had represented the electorate since 1946, was hospitalised in early August 1956 suffering from a chest ailment before dying several weeks later.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19560905.2.129 Mr McLagan's Career The Press 5 September 1956 XCIV 28065 14 Candidates Labour Several names were put forward as potential nominees for the Labour Party candidacy:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19560914.2.199 By-election in Riccarton - Choice of Labour Candidate The Press 14 September 1956 XCIV 28073 19 Joseph Irvine Colligan, a Waimari County Councillor and chairman of the Riccarton Labour Representation Committee Mick Connelly, Labour candidate for St Albans in 1954 Norman Kirk, Mayor of Kaiapoi and Labour candidate for Hurunui in 1954 Tom McGuigan, Labour candidate for Lyttelton in 1954 Louis Julian Mouat, candidate for the Christchurch City Council at the 1956 local elections The Labour Party selected Mick Connelly as its candidate. He was the son of MLC Michael Connelly. McGuigan declined nomination, citing personal reasons, and Kirk withdrew from the selection contest prior to the selection meeting. Rotorua MP Ray Boord spoke at public meetings in Connelly's support.Riccarton Goes To The Polls Tomorrow Evening Post 26 October 1956 12 National Balfour Grieve Dingwall was chosen as the National Party's candidate.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19560926.2.133 By-election in Riccarton - National Party Candidate The Press 26 September 1956 XCIV 28083 14 He had contested the electorate previously at the 1954 general election. Bill Sullivan, the Minister of Labour, made several speeches in Dingwall's support. Social Credit Founder of the Social Credit Party Wilfrid Owen contested the by-election. In the previous election he had contested the nearby seat of Lyttelton.Norton 1988 263 His campaign focused on the plea that Social Credit needed a voice in parliament and targeted Labour voters to support him in the by-election given the result could not change the government. Former Labour MP, turned Social Credit activist Frank Langstone spoke at hustings in support of Owen. Others Ernest Yealands representing a splinter group of the Social Credit Party contested the seat against Owen, where he was expected to draw away "a few hundred votes from his one-time leader". Additionally Richard Israel Charles Grenfell had initially chosen to contest the seat as an independent, but withdrew. However, his decision to withdraw came after the ballot papers were printed. The recently formed Liberal Federation decided against contesting the seat. The party's executive felt that their party policy would not be finalised in time for the election date.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19560921.2.69 General News - Riccarton By-election The Press 21 September 1956 XCIV 28079 12 24 February 2022 Campaign A prominent issue in the by-election was the question of state-aid to private schools. Connelly and Dingwall opposed the notion, Yealands supported it while Owen sidestepped the issue stating that under Social Credit state-aid would not be necessary. There was also a hotly argued debate between the supporters of Connelly and Owen over whether Labour's first Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage was a social crediter. The debate spilled over into newspapers, filling correspondence columns and letters to editors for over a week. Results The following table gives the election results: Connolly was re-elected at the subsequent general election confirming him as the MP. He would represent it until 1969 when he transferred to the neighbouring Wigram electorate.Norton 1988 333, 393 Notes References Norton Clifford New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987 1988 Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science Wellington 0-475-11200-8 Wilson James Oakley New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Riccarton 1956 Category:1956 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of Christchurch Category:October 1956 in Oceania Category:1950s in Christchurch