Oamaru (New Zealand electorate)

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Oamaru was a parliamentary electorate in the Otago region of New Zealand, during three periods between 1866 and 1978.

Contents

Population centres

The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1875 for the 1875–1876 election. In the six years since, New Zealand's European population had increased by 65%. In the 1881 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of European representatives to 91 (up from 84 since the 1875–76 election). The number of Māori electorates was held at four. The House further decided that electorates should not have more than one representative, which led to 35 new electorates being formed, and two electorates that had previously been abolished to be recreated, including Oamaru. This necessitated a major disruption to existing boundaries. [1]

Through an amendment in the Electoral Act in 1965, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, an increase of one since the 1962 electoral redistribution. [2] It was accepted that through the more rapid population growth in the North Island, the number of its electorates would continue to increase, and to keep proportionality, three new electorates were allowed for in the 1967 electoral redistribution for the next election. [3] In the North Island, five electorates were newly created and one electorate was reconstituted while three electorates were abolished. [4] In the South Island, three electorates were newly created and one electorate (Oamaru) was reconstituted while three electorates were abolished. [5] The overall effect of the required changes was highly disruptive to existing electorates, with all but three electorates having their boundaries altered. [6] These changes came into effect with the 1969 election. [3]

The electorate was centred on the town of Oamaru.

History

The electorate existed three times: from 1866 to 1870, 1881 to 1957, and then from 1969 to 1978. [7] [8]

Robert Campbell was the first representative, who served from the 1866 general election to 9 April 1869, when he resigned. [9] Charles Christie Graham won the resulting 1869 by-election; he retired at the end of the term in 1870. [10] The electorate was abolished at the end of the 4th Parliament. [7]

Samuel Shrimski won the 1881 general election in the reconstituted electorate against James Hassell, one of the pioneers of Oamaru. [11] [12] [13] In the 1884 general election, he defeated Viscount Reidhaven (who later became the Earl of Seafield when he succeeded his father). [14] [15] Shrimski resigned on 28 March 1885 and was appointed to the Legislative Council on 15 May 1885. [16]

Thomas William Hislop won the 1885 by-election. [17] Hislop, William Henry Frith [18] and John Church contested the 1887 election and received 581, 345 and 100 votes, respectively. [19] Hislop represented the electorate until 5 September 1889, when he resigned. He won the resulting 1889 by-election, but was defeated by Thomas Young Duncan at the 1890 general election. [20] [21]

Members of Parliament

The electorate was represented by twelve Members of Parliament. [8]

Key

  Independent   Liberal   Reform
  United   Labour   National
ElectionWinner
1866 election Robert Campbell
1869 by-election Charles Graham
(Electorate abolished 1870–1881, see Waitaki)
1881 election Samuel Shrimski
1884 election
1885 by-election Thomas Hislop
1887 election
1889 by-election
1890 election Thomas Duncan
1893 election
1896 election
1899 election
1902 election
1905 election
1908 election
1911 election Ernest Lee
1914 election
1919 election
1922 election John MacPherson
1923 by-election
1925 election Ernest Lee
1928 election John MacPherson
1931 election
1935 election Arnold Nordmeyer
1938 election
1943 election
1946 election
1949 election Thomas Hayman
1951 election
1954 election
(Electorate abolished 1957–1969, see Waitaki)
1969 election Allan Dick
1972 election Bill Laney
1975 election Jonathan Elworthy
(Electorate abolished in 1978; see Waitaki)

Election results

1975 election

1975 general election: Oamaru
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Jonathan Elworthy 9,563 50.0 +7.2
Labour Bill Laney 7,36738.6-6.4
Social Credit Don McLean1,7139.0-1.9
Values Gill Morgan4622.4+1.4
Majority2,19611.4
Turnout 89.7
Registered electors 21,356

1972 election

1972 general election: Oamaru
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Bill Laney 7,746 45.0 +8.1
National Allan Dick 7,35642.8-2.2
Social Credit Alexander Familton1,88110.9-1.7
Values J R Perkins1761.0+1.0
New Democratic H E Mitchell550.3+0.3
Majority3902.2
Turnout 91.6
Registered electors 18,859

1969 election

1969 general election: Oamaru
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Allan Dick 7,033 45.0
Labour N Agnew6,53641.9
Social Credit B R Milmine1,97412.6
Democratic LabourJamie Wedderspoon750.5+0.5
Majority4973.1
Turnout 92.4
Registered electors 17,006

1954 election

1954 general election: Oamaru
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Thomas Hayman 6,561 50.8 -3.8
Labour J H Rapson5,20340.3-5.1
Social Credit F Poole1,1518.9+8.9
Majority1,35810.5
Turnout 95.6
Registered electors 13,568

1951 election

1951 general election: Oamaru
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Thomas Hayman 7,736 54.6 +2.1
Labour C J Ryan6,42145.4-2.1
Majority1,3159.2
Turnout 92.6
Registered electors 15,312

1949 election

1949 general election: Oamaru [22]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
National Thomas Hayman 7,415 54.6
Labour Arnold Nordmeyer 6,72145.4-3.1
Informal votes640.4+0.1
Majority6945.0
Turnout 14,95095.0+0.2
Registered electors 15,658

1946 election

1946 general election: Oamaru [23]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arnold Nordmeyer 7,079 50.6 +2.8
National Thomas Ross Beatty6,84749.0+2.4
Independent Liberal George Percival Cuttriss560.4-1.51
Informal votes530.3-0.5
Majority2321.6+0.5
Turnout 14,03594.8-1.8
Registered electors 14,736

1943 election

1943 general election: Oamaru [24] [25] [26]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arnold Nordmeyer 5,151 47.81 -5.26
National Thomas Ross Beatty5,02646.65
Democratic Labour George Barclay3393.14
People's Movement George Percival Cuttriss1671.55
Informal votes900.83+0.25
Majority1251.16-5.57
Turnout 10,77396.67+1.34
Registered electors 11,143

1938 election

1938 general election: Oamaru [27]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arnold Nordmeyer 5,971 53.07 +3.14
National Michael Francis Edward Cooney5,21346.33
Informal votes660.58-0.72
Majority7586.73-4.25
Turnout 11,25095.33+2.97
Registered electors 11,801

1935 election

1935 general election: Oamaru [28]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Arnold Nordmeyer 5,296 50.93
United John MacPherson 4,15439.94-1.53
Democrat Herbert Gladstone Hill9489.11
Informal votes1361.30+0.92
Majority1,14210.98
Turnout 10,39892.36+3.84
Registered electors 11,257

1931 election

1931 general election: Oamaru [29] [30]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
United John Andrew MacPherson 3,992 41.47
Reform John Kirkness2,94630.60
Labour Percival Malthus2,68827.92
Majority1,04610.87
Informal votes370.38
Turnout 9,66388.52
Registered electors 10,916

1928 election

1928 general election: Oamaru [31]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
United John Andrew MacPherson 5,016 51.74
Reform Ernest Lee 4,67948.26
Majority3373.48
Informal votes830.85
Turnout 9,77891.8110,650
Registered electors

1923 by-election

1923 Oamaru by-election [32]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal John MacPherson 4,492 52.00
Reform Ernest Lee 4,14748.00
Informal votes210.24
Majority3453.99
Turnout 8,66094.18
Registered electors 9,195

1902 election

1902 general election: Oamaru [33] [34]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Young Duncan 2,141 50.29 -16.44
Independent John Marshall Brown1,26129.62
Liberal John Andrew MacPherson 71716.84-16.42
Conservative Henry Beloe Crawford1383.24
Majority88020.67-12.80
Turnout 4,25781.54+4.79
Registered electors 5,221

1899 election

1899 general election: Oamaru [35] [36]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Young Duncan 2,500 66.74 +6.65
Liberal John Andrew MacPherson 1,24633.26
Majority1,25433.48+13.31
Turnout 3,74676.75-7.46
Registered electors 4,881

1893 election

1893 general election: Oamaru [37] [38] [39]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Young Duncan 1,611 51.83 -11.68
Independent PB Fraser 1,19538.45
Independent David Dunn2528.11
Independent William Henry Frith501.61
Majority41613.38-13.63
Turnout 3,10875.04-2.30
Registered electors 4,142

1890 election

1890 general election: Oamaru [40]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Thomas Young Duncan 1,105 63.51
Conservative Thomas William Hislop 63536.49
Majority47027.01
Turnout 1,74072.74
Registered electors 2,392

1889 by-election

1889 Oamaru by-election [41]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Thomas William Hislop 549 56.95
Independent David Dunn41543.05
Majority13413.90
Turnout 964

1885 by-election

1885 Oamaru by-election [42]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Thomas William Hislop 439 53.73%
Independent Lord Reidhaven 37846.27%+1.53%
Majority617.47%-3.06%
Turnout 81757.09%-6.19%
Registered electors 1,381

1884 election

1884 general election: Oamaru [15] [43]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Samuel Shrimski 483 55.26% +1.39%
Independent Francis Ogilvie-Grant 39144.74%
Majority9210.53%
Turnout 87463.29%+8.27%
Registered electors 1,381

1881 election

1881 general election: Oamaru [13]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Independent Samuel Shrimski 396 53.88%
Independent James Hassell33746.12%
Majority577.76%
Informal votes191.42%
Turnout 73555.01%
Registered electors 1,336

Notes

  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 43–48.
  2. McRobie 1989, pp. 108, 111, 112.
  3. 1 2 McRobie 1989, p. 111.
  4. McRobie 1989, pp. 107, 111.
  5. McRobie 1989, pp. 108, 112.
  6. McRobie 1989, pp. 111f.
  7. 1 2 Scholefield 1950, p. 161.
  8. 1 2 Wilson 1985.
  9. Scholefield 1950, p. 99.
  10. Scholefield 1950, p. 109.
  11. "Obituary". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. XXI, no. 6548. 5 May 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  12. "Oamaru Nominations". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. IV, no. 1322. 2 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  13. 1 2 "The Elections". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. IV, no. 1322. 10 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
  14. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1905). "The Hon. S. E. Shrimski". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand . Retrieved 7 February 2011.
  15. 1 2 "Declaration of the Poll". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. IV, no. 1322. 24 July 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  16. Scholefield 1950, pp. 85, 139.
  17. Wilson 1985, p. 205.
  18. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1905). "Flourmillers, Grocers, Etc". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand . Retrieved 20 May 2012.
  19. "Declaration of the Poll". North Otago Times. Vol. XXXIII, no. 6462. 30 September 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  20. Scholefield 1950, p. 114.
  21. Cyclopedia Company Limited 1897, p. 83.
  22. "The General Election, 1949". National Library. 1950. pp. 1–5, 8. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  23. "The General Election, 1946". National Library. 1947. pp. 1–11, 14. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  24. "The General Election, 1943". National Library. 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  25. "Results from all Electorates". Evening Post . Vol. CXXXVI, no. 76. 27 September 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  26. "City Nominations". Evening Post . Vol. CXXXVI, no. 61. 9 September 1943. p. 9. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  27. "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  28. The General Election, 1935. National Library. 1936. pp. 1–35. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  29. "Election Results". Auckland Star . Vol. LXII, no. 290. 8 December 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  30. "Election notices". Otago Daily Times . No. 21498. 21 November 1931. p. 15. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  31. Skinner, W. A. G. (1929). The General Election, 1928. Government Printer. p. 3. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
  32. Hislop 1923, p. 11.
  33. "The General Election, 1902". National Library. 1903. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  34. "Electoral District of Oamaru". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. XXVIII, no. 8060. 29 November 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  35. "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  36. "Electoral District of Oamaru". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. XXIV, no. 7695. 12 December 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  37. "The General Election, 1893". National Library. 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  38. "The General Election". Otago Daily Times . 28 November 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  39. "Electoral District of Oamaru". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. XVIII, no. 5807. 1 December 1893. p. 3. Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  40. "The General Election, 1890". National Library. 1891. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  41. "Oamaru Election". South Canterbury Times. 1 October 1889.
  42. "The Parliamentary Election". The Oamaru Mail . Vol. IX, no. 2908. 21 May 1885. p. 3. Retrieved 17 October 2014.
  43. "The General Election, 1884". National Library. 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 17 March 2012.

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