Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942

The Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942 was a by-election held on 27 January 1942 during the 26th New Zealand Parliament in the seat of Mid-Canterbury. They by-election came about because of the death of Arthur Grigg, his wife Mary Grigg was elected unopposed.

Arthur Grigg had held the seat since 1938 for the National Party. He was killed while serving during World War II with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in Libya. His wife was selected as the candidate for the National party while Labour decided not to stand a candidate because of the war.^[1] Therefore, Grigg was elected unopposed.^[2]

Grigg became the first female National Party MP and the fourth overall. She had little impact on parliament, retiring at the 1943 general election after marrying William Polson, National MP for Stratford. Despite this her election is seen as a milestone in women's suffrage in New Zealand.

References

v t e « (1912–1938) «   By-elections in New Zealand in the two-party era (1939–1995)   » (1996 – present) » 26th Parliament Christchurch South, 1939 Auckland West, 1940 Waipawa, 1940 Waitemata, 1941 Bay of Plenty, 1941 Mid-Canterbury, 1942 Temuka, 1942 Hauraki, 1942 Christchurch East, 1943 Northern Maori, 1943 27th Parliament Awarua, 1944 Western Maori, 1945 Hamilton, 1945 Dunedin North, 1945 Raglan, 1946 28th Parliament Avon, 1947 Mount Albert, 1947 Westland, 1947 29th Parliament Brooklyn, 1951 30th Parliament Dunedin North, 1953 Onehunga, 1953 Onslow, 1954 Patea, 1954 31st Parliament Riccarton, 1956 Bay of Plenty, 1957 32nd Parliament Hamilton, 1959 33rd Parliament Hurunui, 1961 Waitaki, 1962 Buller, 1962 Timaru, 1962 Otahuhu, 1963 Northern Maori, 1963 Grey Lynn, 1963 34th Parliament There were no by-elections during the term of the 34th Parliament. 35th Parliament Southern Maori, 1967 Fendalton, 1967 Petone, 1967 Palmerston North, 1967 Eastern Maori, 1967 Hutt, 1968 36th Parliament Marlborough, 1970 37th Parliament Sydenham, 1974 38th Parliament Nelson, 1976 Mangere, 1977 Pahiatua, 1977 Rangitikei, 1978 39th Parliament Christchurch Central, 1979 Northern Maori, 1980 Onehunga, 1980 East Coast Bays, 1980 40th Parliament There were no by-elections during the term of the 40th Parliament. 41st Parliament Timaru, 1985 42nd Parliament There were no by-elections during the term of the 42nd Parliament. 43rd Parliament Tamaki, 1992 Wellington Central, 1992 Tauranga, 1993 44th Parliament Selwyn, 1994