Christchurch South was a parliamentary electorate in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand from 1881 to 1890 and then from 1905 to 1946.[1]
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The electorate was represented by five Members of Parliament.
The 1939 Christchurch South by-election held on 3 June was caused by the death of Ted Howard during the term of the 26th New Zealand Parliament. On nomination day, two candidates were put forward: Robert Macfarlane for the Labour Party and Melville Lyons for the National Party.[2] Mabel Howard, Ted Howard's daughter, had hoped to be put forward by the Labour Party, and she was endorsed by the local branch of the party.[3] The national executive of the Labour Party chose Macfarlane, and Howard believed that she was opposed by the party's hierarchy due to her connections to John A. Lee, who was seen as a radical within the party.[4] The chosen candidate, Macfarlane, had been Mayor of Christchurch since the previous year.[5] Macfarlane was the successful candidate.
Key Independent New Liberal Labour
| Election | Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| 1881 election | John Holmes | |
| 1884 election | ||
| 1887 election | Westby Brook Perceval | |
| (Electorate abolished 1890–1905, see City of Christchurch) | ||
| 1905 election | Harry Ell | |
| 1908 election | ||
| 1911 election | ||
| 1914 election | ||
| 1919 election | Ted Howard | |
| 1922 election | ||
| 1925 election | ||
| 1928 election | ||
| 1931 election | ||
| 1935 election | ||
| 1938 election | ||
| 1939 by-election | Robert Macfarlane | |
| 1943 election | ||
| Christchurch South by-election, 1939 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
| Labour | Robert Macfarlane | 7,900 | 66.36 | ||
| National | Melville Lyons | 4,005 | 33.64 | ||
| Majority | 3,895 | 32.72 | -10.80 | ||
| Turnout | 11,905 | 76.36[6] | |||