1947 Westland by-election

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.

1947 Westland by-election
3 December 1947 (1947-12-03)
Turnout12,886 (90.35%)
 
Candidate Jim Kent Jack Lockington
Party Labour National
Popular vote 7,427 5,405
Percentage 57.88 42.12
Member before election

James O'Brien
Labour

 Elected Member

Jim Kent
Labour

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:[1]

  • 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.[2] Ware was selected as the candidate on 24 October.[3] 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.[4] After Ware's withdrawal Kent was selected as the candidate on 31 October.[5]

National

Several names were put forward for the National Party candidacy:[6]

  • 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.[1] Both declined nomination, as did Patrick Joseph O'Regan, a farmer from Inangahua Junction, owing to health reasons.[6] Lockington was selected by a meeting of delegates and members of the Westland electoral committee at Greymouth on 28 October.[7]

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.[8]

Previous election
1946 general election: Westland[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour James O'Brien 9,097 67.21
National Frank Chivers[10][11] 4,381 32.36
Informal votes 57 0.42
Majority 4,716 34.99
Turnout 13,535 94.45
Registered electors 14,330

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1947 Westland by-election[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Kent 7,427 57.64
National Jack Lockington 5,405 41.95
Informal votes 54 0.41 -0.01
Majority 2,022 15.76
Turnout 12,886 90.35 -4.10
Registered electors 14,262
Labour hold Swing

Kent obtained 57.9% of the votes and was successful.[9]

See also

Notes
  1. "Westland Seat – Possible Candidates". The Press. Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25316. 16 October 1947. p. 8.
  2. "Westland Seat – Mr Schramm Unlikely Candidate". The Press. Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25308. 7 October 1947. p. 6.
  3. "Labour Candidate For Westland Seat". Northern Advocate. 24 October 1947. p. 2.
  4. "By-election in Westland – Labour Candidate Withdraws". Ashburton Guardian. Vol. 68, no. 16. 30 October 1947. p. 2.
  5. "Westland Byelection – Mr J. B. Kent Labour Candidate". The Press. Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25330. 1 November 1947. p. 8.
  6. "By-election for Westland Seat – National Party's Nomination". The Press. Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25321. 22 October 1947. p. 3.
  7. "National Party Candidate – Mr Lockington to Stand for Westland". The Press. Vol. LXXXIII, no. 25327. 29 October 1947. p. 8.
  8. "Westland By-election – Possibility of Third Candidate". Otago Daily Times. No. 26617. 13 November 1947. p. 6.
  9. Norton 1988, p. 391.
  10. "General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. LXXIV, no. 203. 27 August 1943. p. 4. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
  11. "Chivers, E Frank, DSM, MID". Torpedo Bay Navy Museum. Retrieved 3 November 2014.

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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