1938 New Zealand general election

none April 2024 April 2022 1938 New Zealand general election New Zealand parliamentary no 1935 New Zealand general election 1935 25th New Zealand Parliament 1943 New Zealand general election 1943 27th New Zealand Parliament All 80 seats in the New Zealand Parliament 41 seats were needed for a majority 14 (Māori) & 15 October (general) 1938 elected members 200x200px Michael Joseph Savage 12 October 1933 New Zealand Labour Party Auckland West 53 seats, 45.7% 53 528,290 55.8% 10.1% 200x200px Adam Hamilton 31 October 1936 New Zealand National Party Wallace 19 seats, 32.9% (as United–Reform Coalition) 25 6 381,081 40.3% 7.4% 1938 New Zealand general election - Results.svg 400px Results of the election. Prime Minister Subsequent Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage Michael Joseph Savage New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand Labour Party The 1938 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 26th term. It resulted in the governing Labour Party being re-elected in a landslide, winning nearly 56% of the vote despite not gaining any more seats. Having replaced the United-Reform coalition, the newly founded National Party also gained a certain amount of ground. This was the first election in which the Māori were given a secret ballot which had been available to white voters since 1870. Background The Labour Party had won a resounding victory in the 1935 elections, winning fifty-three seats. Shortly after the elections, the two Ratana-aligned MPs also merged into the Labour Party, giving Labour a total of fifty-five seats. The government, a coalition of the United Party and the Reform Party, had won only nineteen seats. Shortly after their defeat, United and Reform agreed to merge into the National Party, which positioned itself as the only alternative to the "socialist" Labour Party. However, Labour remained popular with the public, and the Prime Minister, Michael Joseph Savage, was widely praised for his welfare reform. The leadership of the National Party, by contrast, was closely associated by the public with the Great Depression, and struggled to gain traction. The election The date for the main 1938 elections was 15 October, a Saturday. Elections to the four Maori electorates were held the day before. 995,173 people were registered to vote, and there was a turnout of 92.9%. This turnout was the highest ever recorded at that point, although it was later exceeded in the two elections after World War II and in the 1984 elections. 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 Results The 1938 election saw a decisive win for the governing Labour Party, which won fifty-three seats. This was a drop of two from what it held prior to the election. While Labour gained the seats of Bay of Islands, Motueka (previously held by Keith Holyoake), New Plymouth, Wellington Suburbs, and Northern Maori, it lost Tauranga and the rural seats of Manawatu, Rangitikei, Waikato, Mid-Canterbury, and Waipawa. The National Party won twenty-five seats, an increase of six from that the United–Reform Coalition had previously won. Both Labour and National increased their share of the popular vote, with Labour winning 55.8% (up from 46.1%) and National winning 40.3% (up from 32.9%). This increase was at the expense of the Democrat Party (who had merged into National in 1936)Gustafson 1986 7 and the agrarian monetary reformist Country Party, which saw its votes collapse completely. The Country Party lost the two seats it held (Bay of Islands and Franklin) as, unlike 1935, Labour stood candidates in the seats held by the two Country Party members. Hence Harold Rushworth did not stand in the Bay of Islands seat, and Arthur Sexton came third in Franklin. Independent candidates also lost ground, with only two being elected, Harry Atmore (Nelson) and Charles Wilkinson (Egmont). As in 1935, the independents were tactically supported by one of the major parties who did not stand a candidate against them, and they generally voted with that party; Wilkinson and Wright had supported National while Atmore had supported Labour. But Robert Wright was defeated for the new electorate of Wellington West by Labour despite National not running a candidate against him. Robert Stephen Milne Political Parties in New Zealand https://archive.org/details/politicalparties0000miln registration Oxford, England Clarendon Press 1966 76 An analysis of men and women on the rolls against the votes recorded showed that in the 1938 election 92.85% of those on the European rolls voted; men 93.43% and women 92.27%. In the 1935 the figures were 90.75% with men 92.02% and women 89.46%. As the Māori electorates did not have electoral rolls they could not be included.New Zealand Official Year-book, 1942 p778 http://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1942/NZOYB_1942.html#idsect1_1_254580 The New Zealand Official Year-Book, 1942 Government Printer 28 June 2015 2015-06-27 https://web.archive.org/web/20150121195835/http://www3.stats.govt.nz/New_Zealand_Official_Yearbooks/1942/NZOYB_1942.html#idsect1_1_254580#idsect1_1_254580 2015-01-21 dead This was the first election in which the Māori were given a secret ballot. Secret ballots had been available to white voters since 1870, but it was not extended to Māori voters until the 1937 Electoral Amendment Act was passed. The number of votes cast in the Māori seats in the 1938 election rose 18.3% from the 1935 election. Opponents of the secret ballot for the Māori claimed that the Māori suffered from illiteracy, but only 2.28% of the ballots were ruled invalid. Member of Parliament Eruera Tirikatene praised the secret ballot for the Māori as he regarded it as one of the rights promised in the Treaty of Waitangi.14 July 1939 Progress of Maoris 5 Gisborne Herald https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19390714.2.37 live https://archive.today/20210714235352/https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19390714.2.37 14 July 2021 14 July 2021 No Secret Ballot until 1937 New Zealand Parliament https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/research-papers/document/00PLLawRP03141/origins-of-the-m%C4%81ori-seats live https://archive.today/20210714235538/https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/research-papers/document/00PLLawRP03141/origins-of-the-m%C4%81ori-seats 14 July 2021 14 July 2021 Party standings right|thumb|500px|Map of electorates. center Election resultsPartyCandidatesVotesPercentageSeats wonchangeNew Zealand Labour PartyLabour78528,29055.8053 -2* New Zealand National PartyNational77381,08140.3025 +9Country Party (New Zealand)Country Party52,1990.230 -2 Independent politicianIndependents1634,823 3.65 2 -3Total176946,39380 *includes two Ratana MPs (Toko Ratana, Eruera Tirikatene) who joined the Labour caucus after the 1935 election Votes summary Popular Vote #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 55.80 National New Zealand National Party 40.30 Country Party Country Party (New Zealand) 0.23 Independent Independent politician 3.65 Parliament seats #ddd 600px 410px Labour New Zealand Labour Party 66.25 National New Zealand National Party 31.25 Independent Independent politician 2.50 Electorate results The following table shows the detailed results: Key New Zealand Labour Party New Zealand National Party Country Party (New Zealand) Independent politician Independent Liberal Electorate results for the 1938 New Zealand general election The General Election, 1938 https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1939-I.2.3.2.36 National Library 8 February 2012 1–6 1939 Candidates for tomorrow's election http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381014.2.154 3 August 2013 Evening Post 14 October 1938 CXXVI 91 18 |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates |- Auckland Central Bill Parry New Zealand Labour Party 6,181 Clifford Reid DoddNotice of Nominations Received and Polling Places Appointed https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19351112.2.108.5 13 November 2013 Auckland Star 12 November 1935 LXVI 268 9 New Zealand National Party Auckland East Bill Schramm New Zealand Labour Party 2,626 Harry Tom MerrittGustafson 1986 26, 28 New Zealand National Party Auckland Suburbs Rex Mason New Zealand Labour Party 4,862 Maxwell Stuart Walker New Zealand National Party Auckland West Michael Joseph Savage New Zealand Labour Party 8,007 John W. KealyGustafson 1986 370 New Zealand National Party Avon Dan Sullivan New Zealand Labour Party 6,179 Hiram Hunter New Zealand National Party Awarua James Hargest New Zealand National Party 660 Joseph Albert BeckDeclaration of result of poll for the electoral district of Awarua https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WSTAR19381028.2.28.1 13 March 2021 Western Star 28 October 1938 3 New Zealand Labour Party Bay of Islands Harold Rushworth Country Party (New Zealand) Charles Boswell New Zealand Labour Party 163 Harold Fisher Guy New Zealand National Party Bay of Plenty Gordon Hultquist New Zealand Labour Party 169 Bill Sullivan New Zealand National Party Buller Paddy Webb New Zealand Labour Party 6,144 Terry Maddison New Zealand National Party Central Otago William Bodkin New Zealand National Party 1,231 James McIndoe MackayDeclaration of Result of Poll for the Electoral District of Central Otago https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AHCOG19431013.2.14.2 15 May 2017 Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette 13 October 1943 4 New Zealand Labour Party Christchurch East Tim Armstrong New Zealand Labour Party 7,179 Ken Armour New Zealand National Party Christchurch North Sidney Holland New Zealand National Party 492 Robert Macfarlane New Zealand Labour Party Christchurch South Ted Howard New Zealand Labour Party 5,995 Gladstone Ward The By-Election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19390602.2.60 13 November 2011 Evening Post 2 June 1939 CXXVII 128 8 New Zealand National Party Clutha James Roy New Zealand National Party 714 Herbert Kerr Edie New Zealand Labour Party Dunedin Central Peter Neilson New Zealand Labour Party 3,814 William John Meade New Zealand National Party Dunedin North Jim Munro New Zealand Labour Party 3,557 Alexander Smith FalconerAmmentorp Steen Falconer http://www.generals.dk/general/Falconer/Alexander_Smith/New_Zealand.html generals.dk 16 November 2013https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36278 Alexander Smith Falconer Online Cenotaph Auckland War Memorial Museum 8 July 2022Brigadier A. S. Falconer http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/name-009334.html New Zealand Electronic Text Centre 16 November 2013Gustafson 1986 362 New Zealand National Party Dunedin South Fred Jones New Zealand Labour Party 4,314 Rev. Ernest Aderman New Zealand National Party Dunedin West Dr Gervan McMillan New Zealand Labour Party 2,639 Stuart SideyThe Mantle of Seddon https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381013.2.141.7 3 November 2013 Evening Post 13 October 1938 CXXVI 90 24 New Zealand National Party Eden Bill Anderton New Zealand Labour Party 2,333 Donald PoolElection Review https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381005.2.93 2 November 2013 Evening Post 5 October 1938 CXXVI 83 15 New Zealand National Party Egmont Charles Wilkinson Independent politician 1,402 Thomas Trask New Zealand Labour Party Franklin Arthur Sexton Country Party (New Zealand) Jack Massey New Zealand National Party 2,057 Ernest Piggott New Zealand Labour Party Gisborne David Coleman New Zealand Labour Party 3,640 Kenneth Jones New Zealand National Party Grey Lynn John A. Lee New Zealand Labour Party 8,607 Joseph Alexander GovanParliamentary Election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19381027.2.22.5 30 November 2014 Auckland Star LXIX 254 27 October 1938 4 New Zealand National Party Hamilton Charles Barrell New Zealand Labour Party 1,860 Albert William GrantGustafson 1986 366 New Zealand National Party |- | Hauraki | style="background-color:New Zealand Labour Party;" | | style="text-align:center;" | Robert Coulter | style="background-color:New Zealand National Party;" | | style="text-align:center;background-color:;" | John Manchester Allen | style="text-align:right;" | 1,188 | style="background-color:New Zealand Labour Party;" | | style="text-align:center;" | Robert Coulter |- Hawkes Bay Ted Cullen New Zealand Labour Party 2,658 George MaddisonWebb Brendan No Sign of Mayors http://www.baybuzz.co.nz/archives/3772/ 2 November 2013 BayBuzz 20 September 2010 3 November 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131103215006/http://www.baybuzz.co.nz/archives/3772/ dead Hawke's Bay Seats https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19390602.2.60 13 November 2011 Evening Post 13 October 1938 CXXVI 90 11 New Zealand National Party Hurunui George Forbes New Zealand National Party 535 Harold Denton New Zealand Labour Party Hutt Walter Nash New Zealand Labour Party 6,814 Jack AndrewsPublic Notices https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381004.2.15.7 30 November 2014 The Evening Post CXXVI 82 4 October 1938 4 New Zealand National Party Invercargill William Denham New Zealand Labour Party 2,156 Fred Hall-Jones New Zealand National Party Kaiapoi Morgan Williams New Zealand Labour Party 1,535 George Warren New Zealand National Party Kaipara Gordon Coates New Zealand National Party 1,689 Percy MacGregor StewartElectoral https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19381029.2.218.6 30 November 2014 The New Zealand Herald LXXV 23181 29 October 1938 25 New Zealand Labour Party Lyttelton Terry McCombs New Zealand Labour Party 2,984 Isaac WilsonThe Lyttelton seat: National Party candidate https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19380727.2.104 23 November 2019 The Press LXXIV 22464 27 July 1938 12 New Zealand National Party Manawatu Lorrie Hunter New Zealand Labour Party John Cobbe New Zealand National Party 1,644 Lorrie Hunter New Zealand Labour Party Marlborough Ted Meachen New Zealand Labour Party 1,525 Edward Healy New Zealand National Party Marsden Jim Barclay New Zealand Labour Party 557 Alfred Murdoch New Zealand National Party Masterton John Robertson New Zealand Labour Party 190 Jack Irving New Zealand National Party Mataura David McDougall Independent politician Tom Macdonald New Zealand National Party 1,515 David McDougall Independent politician Mid-Canterbury Horace Herring New Zealand Labour Party Arthur Grigg New Zealand National Party 74 Horace Herring New Zealand Labour Party Motueka Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party Jerry Skinner New Zealand Labour Party 870 Keith Holyoake New Zealand National Party Napier Bill Barnard New Zealand Labour Party 3,937 John OrmondBremer Robert James 5O6 Ormond, John Davies Wilder 9 January 2010 New Zealand National Party Nelson Harry Atmore Independent politician 886 John Robert Kerr New Zealand National Party New Plymouth Sydney George Smith New Zealand National Party Fred Frost New Zealand Labour Party 869 Sydney George Smith New Zealand National Party Oamaru Arnold Nordmeyer New Zealand Labour Party 758 Frank Cooney Otago Contests https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19380923.2.65.4 5 November 2013 Evening Post 23 September 1938 CXXVI 73 10 New Zealand National Party Onehunga Arthur Osborne New Zealand Labour Party 4,314 John Park The Onehunga Seat https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19380907.2.32 5 November 2013 Evening Post 7 September 1938 CXXVI 59 5Discover Onehunga's Rich History http://www.onehunga.net.nz/onehunga-heritage/onehunga-history/ Onehunga Business Association 5 November 2013 New Zealand National Party Otahuhu Charles Robert Petrie New Zealand Labour Party 2,267 Kenneth TennentParliamentary Elections https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19381003.2.124.1 6 November 2013 Auckland Star 3 October 1938 LXIX 233 11 New Zealand National Party Otaki Leonard Lowry New Zealand Labour Party 1,367 George Alexander Monk Public Notices https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381004.2.15.7 6 November 2013 Evening Post 4 October 1938 CXXVI 82 4 New Zealand National Party Pahiatua Alfred Ransom New Zealand National Party 931 George Anders Hansen Labour Candidates https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19380407.2.171 6 November 2013 Evening Post 7 April 1938 CXXV 82 17 New Zealand Labour Party Palmerston North Joe Hodgens New Zealand Labour Party 2,118 Jimmy Nash J. A. Nash https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381012.2.182.2 6 November 2013 Evening Post 12 October 1938 CXXVI 89 18 New Zealand National Party Patea Harold Dickie New Zealand National Party 809 Charles Joseph Duggan The Labour Party https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19380816.2.37 6 November 2013 Auckland Star 16 August 1938 LXIX 192 5 Labour Candidates https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19250909.2.50.1 6 November 2013 Evening Post 9 September 1925 CX 61 6 New Zealand Labour Party Raglan Lee Martin New Zealand Labour Party 604 Andy SutherlandGustafson 1986 345 New Zealand National Party Rangitikei Ormond Wilson New Zealand Labour Party Edward Gordon New Zealand National Party 311 Ormond Wilson New Zealand Labour Party Remuera Bill Endean New Zealand National Party 2,861 Mary DreaverLaracy Hugh 4d18 Dreaver, Mary Manson 22 July 2012 New Zealand Labour Party Riccarton Bert Kyle New Zealand National Party 87 Bert LangfordTammany Hall https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19450830.2.109 6 November 2013 Evening Post 30 August 1945 CXL 52 9 New Zealand Labour Party Roskill Arthur Shapton Richards New Zealand Labour Party 2,141 Arthur Sagar Bailey New Zealand National Party Rotorua Alexander Moncur New Zealand Labour Party 1,648 Henry William NixonGeneral Election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19380519.2.125 7 November 2013 Auckland Star 19 May 1938 LXIX 116 10 New Zealand National Party Stratford William Polson New Zealand National Party 1,101 James Watson McMillan New Zealand Labour Party Tauranga Charles Burnett New Zealand Labour Party Frederick Doidge New Zealand National Party 1,138 Charles Burnett New Zealand Labour Party Temuka Thomas Burnett New Zealand National Party 1,249 James Arnold Kearton New Zealand Labour Party Thames Jim Thorn New Zealand Labour Party 2,295 William Alexander Clark New Zealand National Party Timaru Clyde Carr New Zealand Labour Party 2,196 W H Hall New Zealand National Party Waikato Robert Coulter New Zealand Labour Party Stan Goosman New Zealand National Party 2,928 J W Neate New Zealand Labour Party Waimarino Frank Langstone New Zealand Labour Party 2,940 Cecil Boles New Zealand National Party Waipawa Max Christie New Zealand Labour Party Albert Jull New Zealand National Party 446 Max Christie New Zealand Labour Party Wairarapa Ben Roberts New Zealand Labour Party 777 James Frederick ThompsonWairarapa Electorate https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=UHWR19381014.2.5.2 9 November 2013 Upper Hutt Weekly Review 14 October 1938 III 43 3 New Zealand National Party Waitaki David Barnes New Zealand Labour Party David Campbell Kidd New Zealand National Party 14 David Barnes New Zealand Labour Party Waitemata Jack Lyon New Zealand Labour Party 2,261 John Ernest CloseElectoral https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=NZH19381028.2.6.3 30 November 2014 The New Zealand Herald LXXV 23180 28 October 1938 3 New Zealand National Party Waitomo Walter Broadfoot New Zealand National Party 329 Jack JonesMrs. R. Bleasel https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS19381123.2.20 9 November 2013 Auckland Star 23 November 1938 LXIX 277 4 New Zealand Labour Party Wallace Adam Hamilton New Zealand National Party 844 John James Lynch New Zealand Labour Party Wanganui Joe Cotterill New Zealand Labour Party 3,920 Henry Charles Veitch New Zealand National Party Wellington Central Peter Fraser New Zealand Labour Party 3,837 Will AppletonBuchan Allison 4a19 Appleton, William 10 January 2012 New Zealand National Party Wellington East Bob Semple New Zealand Labour Party 4,736 William Long BarkerPublic Notices https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19381022.2.11.2 30 November 2014 Evening Post 22 October 1938 CXXVI 98 5 New Zealand National Party Wellington North Charles Chapman New Zealand Labour Party 3,278 Elizabeth GilmerLabrum Bronwyn 4g9 Gilmer, Elizabeth May 10 November 2013 Independent Liberal Wellington South Robert McKeen New Zealand Labour Party 6,415 David HowlettGeneral Election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19380822.2.99 10 November 2013 Evening Post 22 August 1938 CXXVI 45 10 New Zealand National Party Wellington Suburbs Robert Wright Independent politician Harry Combs New Zealand Labour Party 3,163 Ossie Mazengarb New Zealand National Party Wellington West Catherine Stewart New Zealand Labour Party 956 Robert Wright Independent politician Westland James O'Brien New Zealand Labour Party 3,729 Ted Taylor New Zealand National Party |- |colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates |- Eastern Maori Āpirana Ngata New Zealand National Party 1,064 Rēweti Kōhere New Zealand Labour Party Northern Maori Taurekareka Henare New Zealand National Party Paraire Karaka Paikea New Zealand Labour Party 2,011 Taurekareka Henare New Zealand National Party Southern Maori Eruera Tirikatene New Zealand Labour Party 485 Thomas Kaiporohu Bragg New Zealand National Party Western Maori Toko Ratana New Zealand Labour Party 4,267 Pei Te Hurinui Jones Independent politician |} References Other sources 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 Scholefield Guy Guy Scholefield New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 3rd First published in 1913 1950 Govt. Printer Wellington 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:October 1938 in Oceania