1933 Southern Rhodesian general election

General elections were held in Southern Rhodesia on 6 September 1933, the third elections since the colony of Southern Rhodesia was granted self-government. It is notable as one of only two general elections in Southern Rhodesia which led to a defeat for the sitting government, as the Reform Party won a narrow majority of two seats in the Legislative Assembly. Their victory was to be short-lived.

Electoral system edit

No changes were made in the franchise or the procedure of elections since the previous election, the Electoral Act, 1928 being unamended.

Electoral districts edit

Shortly before the election, a last-minute decision was made to revise the boundaries of electoral districts which were exceptionally large or exceptionally small. The Shamva district, to the north-east of Salisbury, was found to be too small and was abolished and merged with most of the Mazoe district; the remaining parts of both were added to Lomagundi district. In Salisbury itself, the two-member Salisbury South district was reduced to one member, and a new two-member Salisbury Central created, with knock-on effects to Salisbury North.

Outside of these changes the boundaries were the same as used in 1928.

Political parties edit

The Progressive Party, which had won four seats to become the official opposition in 1928, merged with the County Party and reorganised itself as the Reform Party in October 1929.

Results edit

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Reform Party10,54939.3816+12
Rhodesia Party10,51239.249
Rhodesia Labour Party4,30516.075+2
Independents1,4245.320–1
Total26,790100.00300
Registered voters/turnout28,515
Source: Willson

By constituency edit

  • Ind – Independent
  • Lab – Rhodesia Labour Party
  • Ref – Reform Party
  • RP – Rhodesia Party
Constituency
Electorate and turnout
Candidate Party Votes
BULAWAYO CENTRAL
Two members
2,114 (68.1%)
Donald Macintyre Lab 681
James Cowden RP 616
Harry Bertin RP 597
Edward Jonathan Davies Lab 467
William Ewart Kay Ref 271
Henry Darling Ref 249
BULAWAYO NORTH
Two members
2,092 (70.0%)
John Banks Brady RP 681
Allan Ross Welsh RP 761
Patrick Bissett Fletcher Ref 551
William McDonald Lab 322
Francis Leslie Hadfield Ref 303
George Arthur Pingstone Ind 148
BULAWAYO SOUTH
1,279 (67.6%)
Harry Herbert Davies Lab 587
Henry Arthur Cloete RP 278
CHARTER
685 (78.0%)
Ernest Lucas Guest RP 426
Servaas Daniel Le Roux Ref 108
EASTERN
951 (73.2%)
John Louis Martin RP 347
Ernest Plewman De Kock Ref 147
William Hendrik Boshoff Ind 125
Johannes Arnoldus Christiaan Kruger Ind 77
GATOOMA
878 (81.0%)
William Sydney Senior Ref 318
Thomas Alfred Kimble Lab 261
George Munro RP 132
GWANDA
708 (75.1%)
Sir Hugh Grenville Williams Ref 292
George Mitchell RP 240
GWELO
1,070 (75.7%)
Frank Delano Thompson Ref 345
Howard Unwin Moffat RP 279
William Harrison Lab 186
HARTLEY
634 (80.1%)
Roger Edward Downes Ref 281
Robert Atherton Comyn RP 121
William Ernest Heydeman Ind 106
INSIZA
729 (70.0%)
Stephen Martin Lanigan O'Keeffe Ref 307
John Parke Richardson RP 170
Leo George Robinson Ind 33
INYATI
782 (72.1%)
Charles Spearman Jobling Ref 329
Benjamin Walter Durham RP 235
LOMAGUNDI
854 (71.6%)
Lewis Aloys MacDonald Hastings RP 365
Thomas William Williamson Ref 246
MARANDELLAS
834 (70.6%)
Reginald Herbert Bruce Dickson Ref 329
Luke Lot Green RP 260
MATOPO
998 (80.5%)
Robert Alexander Fletcher Ref 299
Ernest Arthur Maxwell Lab 296
Roland Mortimer Daniel RP 208
MAZOE
893 (74.5%)
Edward Walter Lionel Noaks RP 346
Mark Douglas Claxton Ind 319
QUE QUE
819 (74.5%)
Charles Walter Leppington Ref 308
James Murdoch Eaton RP 189
Stanley James Edwards Ind 113
RAYLTON
1,271 (77.7%)
Lawrence John Walter Keller Lab 519
Henry Robert Barbour RP 370
Carl Hoghoj Olsen Ref 80
William Davies Ind 18
SALISBURY CENTRAL
Two members
2,294 (67.7%)
Jacob Hendrik Smit Ref 1,125
Neil Housman Wilson Ref 835
Charles Olley Ind 485
Milton Evan Cleveland RP 343
Mrs. Gladys Maasdorp RP 316
SALISBURY DISTRICT
1,028 (74.1%)
Thomas Nangle Ref 391
William Muter Leggate RP 371
SALISBURY NORTH
Two members
1,978 (73.1%)
Godfrey Martin Huggins Ref 993
Percival Donald Leslie Fynn RP 747
Edgar Pope Vernall Ref 642
William Smith RP 508
SALISBURY SOUTH
1,267 (79.6%)
George Henry Walker Lab 458
William Harold Kimpton Ref 314
Hyam Schwartz RP 237
SELUKWE
851 (78.4%)
Robert Dunipace Gilchrist Ref 507
Mrs. Ethel Tawse Jollie RP 160
UMTALI NORTH
911 (77.1%)
Donald Murray Somerville Ref 371
Charles Eickhoff RP 263
William Anderson Logan Lab 68
UMTALI SOUTH
843 (75.2%)
Jonathan Hunter Malcolm Lab 370
Norman Innes RP 264
VICTORIA
1,032 (72.4%)
William Alexander Eustace Winterton Ref 475
Ernest George Birch RP 272
WANKIE
720 (65.1%)
Alexander Robert Thomson RP 246
Frederic Philip Mennell Ref 133
William Doull Lab 90

Changes during the assembly edit

There were no byelections during this Assembly. In August 1934, most of the Reform Party merged with the Rhodesia Party to form the United Party.

References edit

  • Source Book of Parliamentary Elections and Referenda in Southern Rhodesia 1898–1962 ed. by F.M.G. Willson (Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1963)
  • Holders of Administrative and Ministerial Office 1894–1964 by F.M.G. Willson and G.C. Passmore, assisted by Margaret T. Mitchell (Source Book No. 3, Department of Government, University College of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Salisbury 1966)