Kaipara (New Zealand electorate)

Kaipara is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate north of Auckland that existed from 1902 to 1946, and from 1978 to 1996.

Population centres

The Representation Act 1900 had increased the membership of the House of Representatives from general electorates 70 to 76, and this was implemented through the 1902 electoral redistribution. In 1902, changes to the country quota affected the three-member electorates in the four main centres. The tolerance between electorates was increased to ±1,250 so that the Representation Commissions (since 1896, there had been separate commissions for the North and South Islands) could take greater account of communities of interest. These changes proved very disruptive to existing boundaries, and six electorates were established for the first time, including Kaipara, and two electorates that previously existed were re-established.[1]

The electorate was rural and located north of Auckland city, in the North Auckland region.

History

The electorate was created for the 1902 election, and abolished in 1946.[2] The first representative was the independent conservative Alfred Harding.[3] In the 1905 election, Harding stood for the breakaway New Liberal Party, but was beaten by John Stallworthy of the Liberal Party.[4]

In the 1911 election, Stallworthy was beaten by Gordon Coates, who was Prime Minister from 1925 to 1928, and who held the electorate until he died in 1943.[5] As a (belated) wartime general election was to be held shortly, a by-election was not necessary, and Clifton Webb succeeded Coates.[6] When the Kaipara electorate was abolished in 1946, Webb successfully stood in the Rodney electorate.[7]

Kaipara was recreated in 1978,[2] and again replaced by Rodney in 1996. Lockwood Smith then transferred to Rodney, and later became the Speaker of the House.

Members of Parliament

Key

  Independent     Liberal     Reform  
  United/Reform     National     Ind. National
Election Winner
1902 election Alfred Harding
1905 election John Stallworthy
1908 election
1911 election Gordon Coates
1914 election
1919 election
1922 election
1925 election
1928 election
1931 election
1935 election
1938 election
1943 election Clifton Webb
(electorate abolished 1946–1978, see Rodney)
1978 election Peter Wilkinson
1981 election
1984 election Lockwood Smith
1987 election
1990 election
1993 election
(electorate abolished 1996, see Rodney)

Election results

1938 election

General election, 1938: Kaipara[8][9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Gordon Coates 5,414 57.62
Labour Percy MacGregor Stewart 3,725 39.64
Independent James Scott-Davidson 257 2.74
Majority 1,689 17.98
Informal votes 65 0.69
Turnout 9,461 92.85
Registered electors 10,190

1931 election

General election, 1931: Kaipara[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Gordon Coates 5,008 63.14
Country Party Albert Edward Robinson[11] 2,924 36.86
Majority 2,084 26.27
Informal votes 23 0.29
Turnout 7,955 84.47
Registered electors 9,418

Notes

  1. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 67f.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Wilson 1985, p. 265.
  3. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 202.
  4. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 202, 236.
  5. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 189.
  6. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 244.
  7. ↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 244, 265.
  8. ↑ "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. p. 3. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald LXXV (23181). 29 October 1938. p. 25. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  10. ↑ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Notice of Nominations received and Polling Places appointed". Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette. 25 November 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 21 November 2014.

References