1967 Eastern Maori by-election

The 1967 Eastern Māori by-election was a by-election for the electorate of Eastern Maori on 12 August 1967 during the 35th New Zealand Parliament.

1967 Eastern Maori by-election
12 August 1967 (1967-08-12)
Turnout9,012 (60.70%)
 
Candidate Paraone Reweti Arnold Reedy Maanu Paul
Party Labour National Social Credit
Popular vote 4,460 2,416 1,219
Percentage 49.49 26.81 13.53
MP before election

Puti Tipene Watene
Labour

 Elected MP

Paraone Reweti
Labour

Background

The by-election resulted from the death of the previous member Puti Tipene Watene on 14 June 1967.

Candidates
Labour

Labour selected Paraone Brown Reweti, a waterfront worker from Tauranga, as their candidate. He was selected from a large field of nominees at a meeting in Rotorua. The party did not disclose the exact amount, but indicated the number was about 15.[1]

Two days after the selection meeting another meeting was held by supporters of unsuccessful nominees alleging irregularities in the selection and claiming that a member of the selection panel was biased as they had nominated one of the candidates. The rift group later sent a telegram to Labour Party head office to Allan McDonald, the general secretary of the party. The telegram contained details of the allegations and stated Reweti's selection was an "indictment against the Labour Party” and threatened to stand an independent candidate in protest.[2]

The selection dispute resulted in an independent candidate, Donald Mairangi Bennett, being selected by the rift group. Bennett, a car salesman, was a son of Bishop Frederick Bennett. The group said they were standing not as a protest not against Reweti, but against a protest against the method by which he was selected.[3]

National

The National Party had two candidates for nomination:[4]

Reedy was selected in a members ballot after which Searancke pledged his support for Reedy and undertook to accompany him on an electoral tour.[4]

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1967 Eastern Maori by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paraone Reweti 4,460 49.49
National Arnold Reedy 2,416 26.81 -3.93
Social Credit Maanu Paul 1,219 13.53 +3.11
Independent Maori Don Bennett 671 7.45
Independent Te Okanga Huata 246 2.73
Majority 2,044 22.68
Turnout 9,012 60.70 -15.58
Registered electors 14,849
Labour hold Swing

The by-election was won by Paraone Reweti, also of the Labour Party.

Notes
  1. "Labour Party Candidate". The Press. Vol. CVII, no. 31417. 10 July 1967. p. 24.
  2. "Protest Made - Choice of Candidate". The Press. Vol. CVII, no. 31419. 12 July 1967. p. 28.
  3. "Eastern Maori - Independent Chosen". The Press. Vol. CVII, no. 31422. 15 July 1967. p. 14.
  4. "National Choice - Eastern Maori Electorate". The Press. Vol. CVII, no. 31423. 17 July 1967. p. 12.
  5. Norton 1988, p. 395.

References
  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. p. 395. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
  • Wood, G. A. (1996) [1987]. Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament (2 ed.). Dunedin: University of Otago Press. p. 113. ISBN 1-877133-00-0.


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