Ruahine (New Zealand electorate)

Last updated July 15, 2024

Ruahine is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1972 to 1978.

Population centres

Since the 1969 election, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. There were 84 electorates for the 1969 election,^[1] and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87.^[2] Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. ^[2] In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created.^[3] In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated, and six electorates were newly created (including Ruahine).^[4]

The Ruahine electorate was located north-east of Palmerston North and followed the Ruahine Range. Settlements included in the electorate were Feilding, Cheltenham, Kiwitea, and Kimbolton.^[5] It also included the northern parts of Palmerston North, containing some of the city's highest and lowest valued housing areas, which comprised half of the voters in the electorate. As such it was suggested Ruahine was misnamed as an electorate and would be more accurately known as "North Palmerston North".^[6]

History

Les Gandar of the National Party had represented the Manawatu electorate since 1966 and when the Manawatu electorate moved to south of the Palmerston North electorate, Gandar stood in the newly created Ruahine electorate in 1972. He defeated Labour's candidate, Palmerston North City Councillor Sam Mihaere.^[7] Three years later Gandar defeated Rex Willing, who was former Prime Minister Norman Kirk's secretary, as well as the deputy leader of the Social Credit Party Les Hunter.^[6]

The Ruahine electorate was absorbed into the new Rangitikei electorate in 1978. Gandar was defeated in 1978 general election in Rangitikei by Bruce Beetham.^[8] Beetham had won the electorate in the Rangitikei by-election, held earlier in the year on 18 February 1978 after the death of Sir Roy Jack.^[9] National planned that Gandar would take over the new electorate at the November general election, and stood an interim candidate, local Jim Bull, in the by-election. But, to general surprise, Beetham won the by-election for Social Credit.^[10]

Members of Parliament

Key

National

Election	Winner
1972 election		Les Gandar
1975 election		Les Gandar
(Electorate abolished in 1978, see Rangitikei)

Election results

1975 election

1975 general election: Ruahine^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	National	Les Gandar	9,865	49.63	+3.00
	Labour	Rex Willing	7,102	35.73
	Social Credit	Les Hunter	1,952	9.82	+2.74
	Values	George Serrallach	957	4.81
Majority			2,763	13.90	+10.54
Turnout			19,876	85.40	+2.36
Registered electors			23,273

1972 election

1972 general election: Ruahine^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	National	Les Gandar	7,653	46.63
	Labour	Sam Mihaere	7,101	43.26
	Social Credit	Les Hunter	1,162	7.08
	Values	Ronald H. Layton	364	2.21
	Liberal Reform	Allan Walter Bartlett	66	0.40
	New Democratic	Harvey Ernest Edmeades	66	0.40
Majority			552	3.36
Turnout			16,412	83.04
Registered electors			19,763

Notes

↑ McRobie 1989, p. 111.
1 2 McRobie 1989, p. 115.
↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 112, 116.
↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 111, 115.
↑ McRobie 1989, p. 114.
1 2 "Three marginal seats in the Manawatu". The Press . Vol. CXV, no. 33991. 4 November 1975. p. 29.
↑ Wilson 1985, p. 198.
↑ Wilson 1985, pp. 183, 198.
↑ Wilson 1985, p. 183.
↑ Gustafson 1986, pp. 312f.
1 2 Norton 1988, pp. 341.

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References

Gustafson, Barry (1986). The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party. Auckland: Reed Methuen. ISBN 0-474-00177-6.
McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 266. OCLC 154283103.
Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.

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[FOOTNOTEMcRobie1989111-1] McRobie 1989, p. 111.

[FOOTNOTEMcRobie1989115-2] 1 2 McRobie 1989, p. 115.

[FOOTNOTEMcRobie1989112,_116-3] McRobie 1989, pp. 112, 116.

[FOOTNOTEMcRobie1989111,_115-4] McRobie 1989, pp. 111, 115.

[FOOTNOTEMcRobie1989114-5] McRobie 1989, p. 114.

[Three-6] 1 2 "Three marginal seats in the Manawatu". The Press . Vol. CXV, no. 33991. 4 November 1975. p. 29.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985198-7] Wilson 1985, p. 198.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985183,_198-8] Wilson 1985, pp. 183, 198.

[FOOTNOTEWilson1985183-9] Wilson 1985, p. 183.

[FOOTNOTEGustafson1986312f-10] Gustafson 1986, pp. 312f.

[FOOTNOTENorton1988341-11] 1 2 Norton 1988, pp. 341.

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