Fendalton (New Zealand electorate)

Fendalton is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It existed during two periods between 1946 and 1996. The electorate was in the western suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand. Fendalton is an expensive suburb, and was always represented by the National Party.

Population centres

The 1941 census had been postponed due to World War II, so the 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. The abolition of the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 27 electorates were abolished, eight former electorates were re-established, and 19 electorates were created for the first time, including Fendalton.[1] To the west of the Main North Line, its area came from the Riccarton electorate. To the east of the Main North Line, the electorate's area had previously belonged to the Christchurch North and Christchurch South electorates.[2]

In the 1952 electoral redistribution, the Fendalton electorate expanded to the north and north-west, gaining area from the Selwyn electorate, and lost some area in the southern part of the central city.[3] In the 1957 electoral redistribution, the boundaries were adjusted significantly. The southern part of the Fendalton electorate was lost to the Christchurch Central electorate. In the southwest, large areas were transferred to the Riccarton electorate. In the north-west, the electorate was extended as far as Harewood. In the north-east, Papanui was gained from the St Albans electorate.[4] In the 1962 electoral redistribution, some boundary adjustments were carried out in the Papanui area.[5]

The Fendalton electorate was abolished through the 1967 electoral redistribution.[6] The area went to the Papanui and Riccarton electorates.[7] These changes came into effect through the 1969 election.[8]

History

Sidney Holland was the electorate's first representative. Holland had since the 1935 election held the Christchurch North electorate.[9] He was Prime Minister from 1949 to 1957 while representing the electorate. He retired from Parliament in 1957 due to declining health.[10]

Holland was succeeded by Jack Watts in the 1957 election. Watts had since 1943 represented various Christchurch electorates. He retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1960.[11]

The electorate was abolished in 1969,[12] when Eric Holland went to the nearby Riccarton electorate.[9] It was then recreated in 1978,[12] and abolished in 1996, for the first MMP election.

Members of Parliament

The Fendalton electorate was represented by five Members of Parliament:[12]

Key

  National  

Election Winner
1946 election Sidney Holland
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election Jack Watts
1960 election Harry Lake (National)
1963 election
1966 election
1967 by-election Eric Holland
(Electorate abolished 1969–1978; see Papanui and Riccarton)
1978 election Eric Holland (2nd period)
1981 election Philip Burdon
1984 election
1987 election
1990 election
1993 election
(Electorate abolished in 1996)

Notes

  1. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 91–96.
  2. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 93, 97.
  3. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 97–101.
  4. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 101–105.
  5. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 105–109.
  6. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 108–112.
  7. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 109, 113.
  8. ↑ McRobie 1989, p. 111.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Wilson 1985, p. 205.
  10. ↑ Gustafson, Barry. "Holland, Sidney George". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  11. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 244.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Wilson 1985, p. 263.

References