1942 Hauraki by-election

The 1942 Hauraki by-election was a by-election for the electorate of Hauraki held during the 26th New Zealand Parliament.

1942 Hauraki by-election

← 1938 general 7 February 1942 1943 general →
Turnout4,916
 
Candidate Andy Sutherland Henry Thomas Head
Party National Independent
Popular vote 3,805 1,082
Percentage 77.41 22.01

MP before election

John Allen
National

Elected MP

Andy Sutherland
National

Backgrounds

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The by-election was held on 7 February 1942 after the death of Lt-Col John Manchester Allen a National MP on 28 November 1941 while serving with the New Zealand Army in the Middle East (Libya). A by-election was necessary although Labour did not stand a candidate as an independent candidate stood against the National candidate, Andy Sutherland, in this strongly National-held seat.

Candidates

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National

There were five candidates for the National Party nomination.[1]

Sutherland was selected in a ballot by National Party supporters at a meeting in Hamilton.[2]

Independent

Henry Thomas Head of Parnell in Auckland stood as an "independent returned soldiers" candidate.[3] He was a candidate at the recent Waitemata by-election six months earlier, where he gained minimal support, polling just 88 votes.[4]

Results

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The following table gives the election results:

1942 Hauraki by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Andy Sutherland 3,805 77.41
Independent Henry Thomas Head 1,082 22.01
Informal votes 29 0.58
Majority 2,723 55.39
Turnout 4,916
Registered electors

The final count with a total of 4,916 votes cast gave Sutherland 3,805, Head 1,082 with 29 informal votes. With the low turnout and the absence of a Labour candidate, the result is not significant.[6]

By-election date

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In late November 1942 three MPs died (on 28, 29 and 30 November), two while on overseas military service. The date for the by-election(s) was a problem because of the post-Christmas break and because of the arrangements required for voting by servicemen overseas. Two by-elections were held on 7 February 1943 for Hauraki and Temuka where two independent candidates stood, but in Mid-Canterbury the widow of the sitting member was unopposed.

The date of the resultant by-elections had been discussed by Peter Fraser the Prime Minister and Minister in charge of the Electoral Department, the clerk of writs J. W. Heenan, and the speaker Bill Barnard. They were all National seats, and the Labour Party did not contest these wartime elections, but as independent candidates stood in two electorates, two by-elections were required. The speaker could not call them until the death was registered (which took longer for overseas deaths), and the Government Printing Office was closed for the Christmas-New Year holiday from 25 December to 7 January, so gazette notices could not be issued in that period. The notification of vacancies by the speaker was on 6 December 1941. A full period of 17 days was required between nomination day and polling day; ten days was too short because of the requirement to record soldier’s votes from overseas. Heenan said that an election on Saturday 27 December was not possible although Saturday 31 January was; but Saturday 7 February 1942 was selected, with the last day for nominations 21 January and writs to be returned on 23 February. Warrants were issued on 13 January.[7]

References

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  1. ^ "The Hauraki Seat". Gisborne Herald. Vol. LXIX, no. 20662. 13 January 1942. p. 8.
  2. ^ "The Hauraki Seat - National Party Candidate". Franklin Times. Vol. XXXI, no. 8. 21 January 1942. p. 2.
  3. ^ "Two by-elections". The New Zealand Herald. 9 February 1942.
  4. ^ "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXXVIII, no. 24027. 26 July 1941. p. 5. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  5. ^ "Majority Increased - Hauraki By-election". Waikato Times. Vol. 130, no. 21657. 18 February 1942. p. 2.
  6. ^ "Hauraki by-election". The New Zealand Herald. 18 February 1942.
  7. ^ "File on Temuka By-election". Archives New Zealand. 1943.