1947 Westland by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1947 Westland by-election New Zealand 1947 presidential no 1946 New Zealand general election 1946 general 1949 New Zealand general election 1949 general Westland 1947 12 3 y 12,886 (90.35%) 100px Jim Kent New Zealand Labour Party 7,427 57.88 100px Jack Lockington New Zealand National Party 5,405 42.12 Member James O'Brien New Zealand Labour Party Jim Kent New Zealand Labour Party The 1947 Westland by-election was a by-election held during the 28th New Zealand Parliament in the South Island electorate of Westland. The by-election occurred following the death of MP James O'Brien and was won by Jim Kent. Background James O'Brien, who was first elected to represent Westland for the Labour Party in 1922 and had been Westland's MP continuously since 1928, died on 28 September 1947. This triggered the Westland by-election, which occurred on 3 December 1947. Candidates Labour There were six nominations for the Labour Party candidacy:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471016.2.116 Westland Seat – Possible Candidates The Press LXXXIII 25316 16 October 1947 8 Paddy Blanchfield, the Deputy Mayor of Greymouth and member of the Grey Power Board William J. Butler, a press gallery journalist for the Grey River Argus newspaper and former Labour Party South Island organiser Ernie Heenan, a Hokitika businessman who was chairman of the Greymouth Harbour Board and member of the Westland Hospital Board Jim Kent, a Greymouth Borough Councillor and former chairman of the Greymouth Harbour Board Mark Wallace, a Kokatahi farmer and member of the Westland County Council Robert James Ware, district organiser of post office national savings and president of the Greymouth branch of the Labour Party and vice-president of the Westland Labour Representation Committee The former Speaker of the House of Representatives and Auckland East MP Bill Schramm, who was defeated in 1946 and was originally from Hokitika, was also speculated as a possible candidate but later dismissed.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471007.2.48 Westland Seat – Mr Schramm Unlikely Candidate The Press LXXXIII 25308 7 October 1947 6 Ware was selected as the candidate on 24 October.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19471024.2.11 Labour Candidate For Westland Seat Northern Advocate 24 October 1947 2 Five days later Ware was taken ill suddenly, the same day he was to have opened his campaign at a meeting in Ngahere. After receiving advice from his doctor he withdrew his candidacy.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG19471030.2.12 By-election in Westland – Labour Candidate Withdraws Ashburton Guardian 68 16 30 October 1947 2 After Ware's withdrawal Kent was selected as the candidate on 31 October.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471101.2.126 Westland Byelection – Mr J. B. Kent Labour Candidate The Press LXXXIII 25330 1 November 1947 8 National Several names were put forward for the National Party candidacy:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471022.2.16 By-election for Westland Seat – National Party's Nomination The Press LXXXIII 25321 22 October 1947 3 Gordon Gillespie, a Greymouth businessman Jack Lockington, a farmer from Reefton Martin Nestor, the National Party's chief research officer Two previous National candidates from past elections, Ted Taylor and Frank Chivers, were also considered. Both declined nomination, as did Patrick Joseph O'Regan, a farmer from Inangahua Junction, owing to health reasons. Lockington was selected by a meeting of delegates and members of the Westland electoral committee at Greymouth on 28 October.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19471029.2.101 National Party Candidate – Mr Lockington to Stand for Westland The Press LXXXIII 25327 29 October 1947 8 Others After being unsuccessful in attaining the official Labour nomination, there was speculation that Wallace would stand as an Independent Labour candidate. This did not eventuate however.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19471113.2.54 Westland By-election – Possibility of Third Candidate Otago Daily Times 26617 13 November 1947 6 Previous election 1946 general election: WestlandNorton 1988 391 New Zealand Labour Party James O'Brien 9,097 67.21 New Zealand National Party 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 4,381 32.36 57 0.42 4,716 34.99 13,535 94.45 14,330 Results The following table gives the election results: Kent obtained 57.9% of the votes and was successful.Norton 1988 391 See also List of New Zealand by-elections 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 Westland Westl Category:Politics of the West Coast Region Category:December 1947 in Oceania