1946 New Zealand general election

none April 2024 April 2018 1946 New Zealand general election New Zealand 1946 parliamentary no 1943 New Zealand general election 1943 1949 New Zealand general election 1949 All 80 seats in the New Zealand Parliament 41 seats were needed for a majority 26 November 1946 (Māori)27 November 1946 (general) elected members 1,047,205 (93.5%) 200x200px Peter Fraser 4 April 1940 New Zealand Labour Party Brooklyn 45 seats, 47.6% 42 3 536,994 51.3% 3.7% 200x200px Sidney Holland 26 November 1940 New Zealand National Party Christchurch North 34 seats, 42.8% 38 4 507,139 48.4% 5.6% 1946 New Zealand general election - Results.svg 400px Results of the election. Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Peter Fraser Peter Fraser New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand Labour Party The 1946 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 28th term. It saw the governing Labour Party re-elected, but by a substantially narrower margin than in the three previous elections. The National Party continued its gradual rise. Background The Labour Party had been in government since winning the 1935 elections, and had been re-elected twice. However, the National Party had managed to overcome the internal problems which had once troubled it, and now presented a credible threat to Labour. National's leader, Sidney Holland, was proving more effective than his predecessor, while the Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, was weary and in poor health. The after-effects of World War II, including ongoing shortages, were affecting the government's popularity. The next New Zealand census was scheduled for 1946, but having had to postpone the 1941 census due to WWII, the government brought it forward. The 1945 census was held on Tuesday, 25 September, so that the results could be used for the 1946 electoral redistribution prior to the planned 1946 election.Politics brought the 1946 Census forward to 1945 http://www.statisticsnz.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/intro-to-nz-census/history/did-you-know/politics-affected-1946-census.aspx Statistics New Zealand 1 January 2014 2 January 2014 https://web.archive.org/web/20140102191157/http://www.statisticsnz.govt.nz/Census/2013-census/intro-to-nz-census/history/did-you-know/politics-affected-1946-census.aspx dead In August 1945, there was a first hint that the government considered abolishing the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945.Country quota https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19450803.2.37 25 April 2020 The Press LXXXI 24635 3 August 1945 4 The amendment bill was introduced on 18 October 1945 and proposed the complete abolition of the country quota and that electorates be based on adult, as opposed to total, population.Political storm bursts: electoral amendment sprung on House https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19451019.2.14 25 April 2020 Evening Star 25618 19 October 1945 3 The Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 was given royal assent on 12 NovemberStop press https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19451113.2.121 25 April 2020 Evening Star 25639 13 November 1945 8 and it reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 26 electorates were abolished, 19 electorates were created for the first time, and six former electorates were re-established.McRobie 1989 91–96 The 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. MPs retiring in 1946 Five Labour MPs and one National MP intended to retire at the end of the Parliament. Party Name Electorate Labour Joe Hodgens Palmerston North Leonard Lowry Otaki Peter Neilson Dunedin Central Ben Roberts Wairarapa Paddy Webb Buller National Adam Hamilton Wallace Date of election The election should have been held earlier. The 27th parliament "forgot to mark the calendar, forgot the previous election had been earlier than usual and accidentally ran for two extra months".Maoate-Cox Daniela Smith Phil Dissolving Parliament – what is that? https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/the-house/audio/2018759138/dissolving-parliament-what-is-that 13 August 2020 Radio New Zealand 12 August 2020 The election The date for the main 1946 elections was 27 November, a Wednesday. Elections to the four Māori electorates were held the day before. 1,081,898 people were registered to vote, and there was a turnout of 93.5%. This turnout was the highest ever recorded at this point. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902.General elections 1853–2005 – dates & turnout http://www.elections.org.nz/events/past-events/general-elections-1853-2014-dates-and-turnout Elections New Zealand 12 January 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20141114115332/http://www.elections.org.nz/events/past-events/general-elections-1853-2014-dates-and-turnout 14 November 2014 dead Election results Party standings The 1946 election saw the governing Labour Party retain office by a four-seat margin, winning forty-two seats to the National Party's thirty-eight. In the popular vote — Labour won 51.3% and National won 48.4%. The election was a straight fight between the two main parties (unlike the 1943), and only 8 of the 76 European electorates had more than two candidates. The Democratic Labour Party did not take part, and National absorbed many of the miscellaneous candidates and splinter movements. The European electorates divided equally and the Maori seats decided the issue. Lipson 2011 220-21 No other parties won any significant share of the vote, and no independents were elected — only 0.3% of voters did not support one of the two major parties. After Harry Atmore of Nelson died, no candidate who was not from the two main parties managed to enter Parliament until the 1966 elections, when the Social Credit Party won its first seat. center Election resultsParty Candidates Total votes Percentage Seats won Change New Zealand Labour Party80536,99451.2842 -3 New Zealand National Party80507,14948.4338 +4 Communist Party of New Zealand31,1810.110 ±0 Independent politician92,8860.180 -1Total1721,047,21080 Votes summary Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 51.28 National New Zealand National Party 48.43 Others #777777 0.29 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 52.50 National New Zealand National Party 47.50 Initial MPs The table below shows the results of the 1946 general election: Key New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand National Party Independent politician Electorate results for the 1946 New Zealand general electionThe General Election, 1946 http://www.atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1947-I.2.4.2.38 National Library 1 January 2014 1–11, 14 1947https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19461116.2.87 The Lists Close 16 November 1946 Evening Star 25951 9 |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates |- Arch Hill Bill ParryWilson 1985 225 New Zealand Labour Party 6,585 Edward James Clark New Zealand National Party Ashburton Geoff Gerard New Zealand National Party 1,453 Mabel Newlands New Zealand Labour Party Auckland Central Bill ParryWilson 1985 225 New Zealand Labour Party Bill AndertonWilson 1985 180 New Zealand Labour Party 3,478 Leon GötzGustafson 1986 315 New Zealand National Party Avon Dan Sullivan New Zealand Labour Party 5,180 Robert Alexander McDowell New Zealand National Party Awarua George Richard Herron New Zealand National Party 2,588 Gilbert Gregory Mitchell New Zealand Labour Party Bay of Plenty Bill SullivanWilson 1985 237 New Zealand National Party 1,634 Ray BoordNorton 1988 200 New Zealand Labour Party Brooklyn Peter FraserWilson 1985 198 New Zealand Labour Party 3,935 Stewart Hardy New Zealand National Party Buller Paddy Webb New Zealand Labour Party Jerry Skinner New Zealand Labour Party 2,912 Phil McDonald New Zealand National Party Central Otago William Bodkin New Zealand National Party 2,909 Claude Charles Capell New Zealand Labour Party Christchurch Central Robert Macfarlane New Zealand Labour Party 4,420 Alan J. Wills New Zealand National Party Clutha James Roy New Zealand National Party 2,140 John Patrick Thompson New Zealand Labour Party Dunedin Central Peter Neilson New Zealand Labour Party Phil Connolly New Zealand Labour Party 2,000 Stuart SideyNorton 1988 212 New Zealand National Party Dunedin North Robert Walls New Zealand Labour Party 1,630 Norman JonesGustafson 1986 323f New Zealand National Party Eden Bill AndertonWilson 1985 180 New Zealand Labour Party Wilfred FortuneWilson 1985 197 New Zealand National Party 1,281 Warren FreerNorton 1988 220 New Zealand Labour Party Egmont Ernest CorbettWilson 1985 190 New Zealand National Party 3,398 Clarence Robert Parker New Zealand Labour Party Fendalton Sidney Holland New Zealand National Party 3,004 Alan Williams New Zealand Labour Party Franklin Jack Massey New Zealand National Party 4,023 Alex Gunn New Zealand Labour Party Gisborne David Coleman New Zealand Labour Party 2,015 Harry BarkerMilton-Tee Ann 5b6 Harry Heaton Barker 2 January 2014 New Zealand National Party Grey Lynn Fred Hackett New Zealand Labour Party 5,910 Harold Stapleton Barry New Zealand National Party Hamilton Hilda Ross New Zealand National Party 327 Jack Granville New Zealand Labour Party Hastings Ted Cullen New Zealand Labour Party 483 Eric PryorGustafson 1986 382 New Zealand National Party |- | Hauraki | style="background-color:New Zealand National Party;" | | colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:;" | Andy Sutherland | style="text-align:right;" | 2,891 | style="background-color:New Zealand Labour Party;" | | style="text-align:center;" | John William Neate |- Hawke's Bay Ted Cullen New Zealand Labour Party Cyril Harker New Zealand National Party 2,014 Henry Edward Beattie New Zealand Labour Party Hobson Sidney Walter Smith New Zealand National Party 3,580 Hubert Knox Hatrick New Zealand Labour Party Hurunui William Gillespie New Zealand National Party 1,440 John Mathison New Zealand Labour Party Hutt Walter Nash New Zealand Labour Party 2,587 Jim Vogel New Zealand National Party Invercargill William Denham New Zealand Labour Party Ralph Hanan New Zealand National Party 224 William Denham New Zealand Labour Party Island Bay Robert McKeen New Zealand Labour Party 3,958 Herbert Edward Childs New Zealand National Party Karori Charles Bowden New Zealand National Party 2,042 Patrick McGavin New Zealand Labour Party Lyttelton Terry McCombs New Zealand Labour Party 1,543 Ted TaylorGustafson 1986 387 New Zealand National Party Manawatu Matthew Oram New Zealand National Party 2,467 Phil Holloway New Zealand Labour Party Marlborough Ted Meachen New Zealand Labour Party Tom Shand New Zealand National Party 179 Ted Meachen New Zealand Labour Party Marsden Alfred Murdoch New Zealand National Party 2,149 John Stewart New Zealand Labour Party Miramar Bob Semple New Zealand Labour Party 2,482 Len Jacobsen New Zealand National Party Mornington Wally Hudson New Zealand Labour Party 4,681 Lewis Donald McIver New Zealand National Party Mount Albert Arthur Shapton Richards New Zealand Labour Party 1,857 Frederick Ashley Hosking New Zealand National Party Mount Victoria Jack Marshall New Zealand National Party 911 Eugene Casey New Zealand Labour Party Napier Tommy Armstrong New Zealand Labour Party 1,845 Alan John Price New Zealand National Party Nelson vacantnb Harry Atmore, the previous holder of the Nelson electorate, died on 20 August 1946 Edgar Neale New Zealand National Party 585 Cyril Harold Goodman New Zealand Labour Party New Plymouth Ernest Aderman New Zealand National Party 405 George Nimmo New Zealand Labour Party North Shore Martyn Finlay New Zealand Labour Party 249 Henry Thorne MortonGustafson 1986 334 New Zealand National Party Oamaru Arnold Nordmeyer New Zealand Labour Party 232 Thomas Ross Beatty New Zealand National Party Onehunga Arthur Osborne New Zealand Labour Party 3,424 William Kenneth King New Zealand National Party Onslow Harry Combs New Zealand Labour Party 1,578 Philip Patrick Lynch New Zealand National Party Otahuhu Charles Robert Petrie New Zealand Labour Party 220 Albert Murdoch New Zealand National Party Otaki Leonard Lowry New Zealand Labour Party Jimmy Maher New Zealand National Party 44 Jim Thorn New Zealand Labour Party Pahiatua Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party 3,697 Otto Ernest Niederer New Zealand Labour Party Palmerston North Joe Hodgens New Zealand Labour Party Ormond Wilson New Zealand Labour Party 928 Gus Mansford Independent politician Parnell Duncan Rae New Zealand National Party 206 Bill Schramm New Zealand Labour Party Patea William Sheat New Zealand National Party 870 Richard John O'Dea New Zealand Labour Party Petone Mick Moohan New Zealand Labour Party 4,019 George London New Zealand National Party Piako Stan Goosman New Zealand National Party 5,101 Ben Waters New Zealand Labour Party Ponsonby Ritchie Macdonald New Zealand Labour Party 3,431 Peter E DempseyGustafson 1986 360f New Zealand National Party Raglan Hallyburton Johnstone New Zealand National Party Alan Baxter New Zealand Labour Party 13 Hallyburton Johnstone New Zealand National Party Rangitikei Edward Gordon New Zealand National Party 2,307 John Capstick New Zealand Labour Party Remuera Ronald Algie New Zealand National Party 4,410 James Freeman New Zealand Labour Party Riccarton Jack Watts New Zealand National Party Angus McLagan New Zealand Labour Party 3,875 Vic Wilson New Zealand National Party Rodney Clifton Webb New Zealand National Party 2,850 Alex Dixon New Zealand Labour Party Roskill Arthur Shapton Richards New Zealand Labour Party Frank Langstone New Zealand Labour Party 155 Roy McElroyGustafson 1986 375 New Zealand National Party St Albans Jack Watts New Zealand National Party 86 Morgan WilliamsWilson 1985 245 New Zealand Labour Party St Kilda Fred Jones New Zealand Labour Party 1,248 Leonard James Ireland New Zealand National Party Selwyn John McAlpine New Zealand National Party 472 Alan Sharp New Zealand Labour Party Sydenham Mabel Howard New Zealand Labour Party 6,746 Ruric Hunter New Zealand National Party Tamaki Tom Skinner New Zealand Labour Party 231 John George Concanon Wales New Zealand National Party Tauranga Frederick Doidge New Zealand National Party 2,704 Dudley A. Hill New Zealand Labour Party Timaru Clyde Carr New Zealand Labour Party 520 Jack AclandWilson 1985 179 New Zealand National Party Waikato Stan Goosman New Zealand National Party Geoffrey Sim New Zealand National Party 4,385 John Dwyer New Zealand Labour Party Waimarino Frank Langstone New Zealand Labour Party Paddy Kearins New Zealand Labour Party 681 Norman Robert Hill New Zealand National Party Waimate David Campbell Kidd New Zealand National Party 789 William Roy Davison New Zealand Labour Party Wairarapa Ben Roberts New Zealand Labour Party Garnet Mackley New Zealand National Party 235 George Anders Hansen New Zealand Labour Party Waitakere Rex Mason New Zealand Labour Party 2,797 Archibald Morrison Laing New Zealand National Party Waitomo Walter Broadfoot New Zealand National Party 3,951 Alan George Goldsmith New Zealand Labour Party Wallace Adam Hamilton New Zealand National Party Tom Macdonald New Zealand National Party 3,716 David Munro New Zealand Labour Party Wanganui Joe Cotterill New Zealand Labour Party 1,934 Eric Merewether New Zealand National Party Wellington Central Peter Fraser New Zealand Labour Party Charles Chapman New Zealand Labour Party 1,680 Agnes Westonnb Claude Weston died suddenly on 10 November 1946 and was replaced by his wifeGustafson 1986 389https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C58281 Claude Horace Weston Online Cenotaph Auckland War Memorial Museum 9 July 2022 New Zealand National Party Westland James O'Brien New Zealand Labour Party 4,716 Frank ChiversGeneral Election http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19430827.2.70 3 November 2014 Auckland Star LXXIV 203 27 August 1943 4Chivers, E Frank, DSM, MID http://navymuseum.co.nz/medals/index.php/78-display-numbers/85-chivers-e-frank-dsm-mid Torpedo Bay Navy Museum 3 November 2014 New Zealand National Party |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates |- Eastern Maori Tiaki Omana New Zealand Labour Party 1,517 Āpirana Ngata New Zealand National Party Northern Maori Tapihana Paraire Paikea New Zealand Labour Party 2,555 James HenareGustafson 1986 367 New Zealand National Party Southern Maori Eruera Tirikatene New Zealand Labour Party 581 Vernon Ohaia Mason Thomas New Zealand National Party Western Maori Matiu Ratana New Zealand Labour Party 6,491 Hoeroa MarumaruGustafson 1986 377 New Zealand National Party |} Table footnotes: nb 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 Lipson Leslie The Politics of Equality: New Zealand’s Adventures in Democracy 1948 2011 Victoria University Press Wellington 978-0-86473-646-8 Electoral Atlas of New Zealand McRobie Alan 1989 GP Books Wellington 0-477-01384-8 Norton Clifford New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987 1988 Victoria University of Wellington Wellington 0-475-11200-8 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 1946 in Oceania