1947 Avon by-election

The 1947 Avon by-election was a by-election held during the 28th New Zealand Parliament in the Christchurch electorate of Avon. The by-election occurred following the death of MP Dan Sullivan and was won by John Mathison.

1947 Avon by-election
28 May 1947 (1947-05-28)
Turnout13,035 (84.43%)
 
Candidate John Mathison Robert Alexander McDowell
Party Labour National
Popular vote 8,513 4,422
Percentage 65.31 33.92
Member before election

Dan Sullivan
Labour

 Elected Member

John Mathison
Labour

Background

Dan Sullivan, who was first elected to represent Avon for the Labour Party in 1919, died on 8 April 1947.[1] This triggered the Avon by-election, which occurred on 28 May 1947.[2]

Candidates
Labour

There were six nominations for the Labour Party nomination:[3]

Two other expected candidates, Jack Roberts and Alan Sharp, declined nomination. Roberts, president of both the North Canterbury Labour Representation Committee and Canterbury Trades Council of the Federation of Labour, committed himself to union activities while Sharp (who was Labour's candidate for Selwyn in 1946) wished to run in Selwyn again at the next general election. With Roberts' declination Mathison was seen as the frontrunner for the nomination.[4] Mathison was subsequently selected as Labour's nominee.[5]

National

Dr. Robert Alexander McDowell, a medical doctor from Kaiapoi and representative of the Canterbury division on the council of the New Zealand branch of the British Medical Association, was the only nominee for the National Party candidacy. He was National candidate for Avon in 1946.[6][7]

Others

John Ramby Robertson was an independent candidate. Robertson was a member of the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) but his nomination was refused endorsement by DLP leader John A. Lee.[8] Robertson had stood unsuccessfully as a DLP candidate for the Christchurch City Council in 1944.[9]

The Communist Party decided not to put forward a candidate. The party's Christchurch secretary, Jack Locke, stated his party had no wish to embarrass the Government (whose policies they mostly supported) by drawing away votes.[10]

Previous election
1946 general election: Avon[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Dan Sullivan 9,539 68.64 +7.44
National Robert Alexander McDowell 4,359 31.36
Majority 5,180 37.27 +5.83
Turnout 13,898 92.74 +2.11
Registered electors 15,092

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1947 Avon by-election[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Mathison 8,513 65.31
National Robert Alexander McDowell 4,422 33.92 +2.56
Independent John Ramby Robertson 100 0.77
Majority 4,091 31.38 −5.89
Turnout 13,035 84.43 −9.31
Labour hold Swing −3.33

Mathison obtained 65.31% of the votes and was successful.[11]

See also

Notes
  1. Watson, James (updated 22 June 2007). "Sullivan, Daniel Giles 1882 – 1947". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Retrieved 12 August 2013.
  2. Norton 1988, p. 3.
  3. "Avon Seat – Six Labour Party Nominees". Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25174. The Press. 3 May 1947. p. 8.
  4. "Labour Nominee for Avon". Vol. 67, no. 160. Ashburton Guardian. 19 April 1947. p. 3.
  5. "Avon By-election – Mr. J. Mathison Selected". No. 26453. Otago Daily Times. 6 May 1947. p. 6.
  6. "Avon By-election – Dr. McDowell willing to Stand". Vol. 67, no. 163. Ashburton Guardian. 23 April 1947. p. 5.
  7. "The Avon Seat – National Party's Nominee". No. 26449. Otago Daily Times. 1 May 1947. p. 6.
  8. "Avon By-Election". Vol. LXXII, no. 26109. Evening Star. 24 May 1947. p. 5 – via Papers Past.
  9. "Christchurch City Council". The Press. Vol. LXXX, no. 24278. 8 June 1944. p. 7. Retrieved 15 February 2020 – via Papers Past.
  10. "No Communist Party Candidate". Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25172. The Press. 1 May 1947. p. 6.
  11. Norton 1988, p. 195.

References
  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
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