Auckland West

For the later electorate, see West Auckland (New Zealand electorate). For the village in England, see West Auckland.

The former New Zealand parliamentary electorate on the western inner city of Auckland, was known as City of Auckland West from 1861 to 1890, and then Auckland West from 1905 to 1946.

Population centres

From 1861 to 1884 the electorate comprised the suburbs of Ponsonby, Grey Lynn and Herne Bay. With the creation of the Ponsonby electorate for the 1887 election, Auckland West was moved south to include Grey Lynn, Newton and Kingsland.

From 1890 to 1905, Auckland West – along with Auckland Central and Auckland East – were merged into the multi-member City of Auckland electorate. In 1903 the Parliament passed the City Single Electorates Act, abolishing multi-member electorates from the end of the 15th Parliament in 1905.

The three inner-city Auckland electorates were recreated in 1905, with Auckland West first comprising the suburbs of Ponsonby, Herne Bay, Newton and parts of Grey Lynn; and from 1908 to 1946 covering Ponsonby and Herne Bay.

History

The City of Auckland West electorate was created for the election held on 11 January 1861[1] and it lasted to 1890.[1] During this period, City of Auckland West was a two-member electorate.[2]

At the first election in 1861, Josiah Firth[3] and John Williamson[4] were elected.[5] Firth resigned on 30 April 1862,[1] and was succeeded by James Williamson (no relation to John Williamson) in the 1862 by-election.[6]

In the December 1875 election, Sir George Grey and Patrick Dignan were the only candidates in the two-member electorate and were thus declared elected.[7] In January 1876, Grey also contested and won a seat in the Thames electorate.[8] A protest against Grey's election was lodged with the returning officer the following day, stating that Grey had not been eligible to stand for election in Thames, as he had already been elected in Auckland West. This petition was filed to the House of Representatives at the end of January.[9] On 8 July, the report of the committee inquiring into Sir George Grey's election for the Thames was read to the House. It was found that his election to the Thames electorate was in accordance with the law, but that he had to make a decision for which electorate he would sit.[10] On 15 July 1876, Grey announced that he would represent Thames, and he moved that a by-election be held in Auckland West for the seat that he would vacate there.[11]

The 25 July 1876 by-election caused by Grey's retirement was won by Benjamin Tonks, who resigned in 1877.[12]

The electorate was then represented by James Wallis 1877–81, William John Hurst 1879–81 and David Goldie 1887–90.

The "Auckland West" electorate was created in 1905, and lasted to 1946. It was held for 1905–11 & 1914–19 by Charles Poole, 1911–14 by James Henry Bradney, and from 1919 until he died in 1940 by revered Labour prime minister Michael Joseph Savage. The next holder Peter Carr 1940–46 also died while holding the seat.

Members of Parliament

Key

 Independent    Liberal    Reform    Labour  

multi-member electorate

From 1861 to 1881, City of Auckland West was a two-member electorate.

Election Winners
1861 election John Williamson Josiah Firth
1862 by-election James Williamson
1866 election
1867 by-election Patrick Dignan[13][14]
1871 election Thomas Gillies
1871 by-election John Williamson
1875 (1st) by-election George Grey
1875 (2nd) by-election Patrick Dignan (2nd period)
1875 election
1876 by-election Benjamin Tonks
1877 by-election James Wallis
1879 by-election David Goldie
1879 election William John Hurst
(Electorate converted to single member in 1881)

single member electorate

Election Winner
1881 election Joseph Dargaville
1884 election
1887 election David Goldie (2nd period)
(Electorate abolished 1890–1905, see City of Auckland)
1905 election Charles Poole
1908 election
1911 election James Bradney
1914 election Charles Poole (2nd period)
1919 election Michael Joseph Savage
1922 election
1925 election
1928 election
1931 election
1935 election
1938 election
1940 by-election Peter Carr
1943 election
(Electorate abolished 1946)

Election results

1940 by-election

Auckland West by-election, 1940
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Carr 6,151 63.24
Independent Wilfred Fortune 2,958 30.41
Communist L G Watson 375 3.86
Independent Socialist L Pickles 132 1.36
Liberal I B Kennedy 15 0.15
Independent E Naden 8 0.08
Majority 3,193 32.83
Informal votes 68 0.70
Turnout 8,136 60.03
Registered electors 16,170
Labour hold Swing

1938 election

General election, 1938: Auckland West[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 11,591 75.88 +2.95
National J W Kealy 3,584 23.46
Informal votes 100 0.65
Majority 8,007 52.41 -0.20
Turnout 15,275

1935 election

General election, 1935: Auckland West[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 8,567 72.93 +10.00
United/Reform Ernest David Stallworthy 2,387 20.32
Democrat J A Govan 792 6.74
Majority 6,180 52.61
Turnout 11,746

1931 election

General election, 1931: Auckland West[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 6,442 62.93
United Hugh Ross Mackenzie 1,925 18.80
Reform John Allum 1,870 18.27
Majority 4,517 44.12
Informal votes 63 0.61
Turnout 10,300 79.78
Registered electors 12,911

1928 election

General election, 1928: Auckland West[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 5,361 47.01 -5.18
United R B Spiers 4,020 35.25
Reform F Adeane 2,021 17.72
Majority 1,341 11.76
Turnout 11,402

1925 election

General election, 1925: Auckland West[19][20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 5,677 52.19
Reform Samuel Oldfield 5,201 47.81
Majority 476 4.38
Informal votes 122 1.11
Turnout 11,000 89.55
Registered electors 12,283

1922 election

General election, 1922: Auckland West[21][22][23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 5,649 56.53 +12.02
Reform J Farrell 4,345 43.47
Majority 1,304 13.04
Turnout 9,994

1919 election

General election, 1919: Auckland West[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Michael Joseph Savage 3,750 44.51
Reform C F Bennett 3,270 38.81
Liberal A J Entrican 1,404 16.66
Majority 480 5.69
Turnout 8,424

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Scholefield 1950, p. 106.
  2. Scholefield 1950, p. 154.
  3. Waterson, D. B. "Firth, Josiah Clifton 1826 – 1897". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  4. Waterson, D. B. "Williamson, John 1815 – 1875". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  5. Scholefield 1950, pp. 106, 148.
  6. Scholefield 1950, p. 148.
  7. "(By Telegraph). Auckland. Dec. 22.". XXIII (1159). North Otago Times. 23 December 1875. p. 2. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 11 April 2010.
  8. "THE ELECTIONS". XXXII (5708). Daily Southern Cross. 8 January 1876. p. 3. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  9. "The Thames election : petition against sir George Grey's election.". XXXII (5724). Daily Southern Cross. 1 February 1876. p. 3. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  10. "New Zealand Parliament" XXIV (2427). Taranaki Herald. 12 July 1876. p. 3. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  11. "Parliamentary" IV (401). Bay of Plenty Times. 15 July 1876. Archived from the original on 21 May 2010. Retrieved 13 April 2010.
  12. "CITY WEST ELECTION.". XXXII (5238). Daily Southern Cross. 26 July 1876. p. 3. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  13. Laracy, Hugh. "Dignan, Patrick 1813/1814? – 1894". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  14. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1902). "Mr. Patrick Dignan". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Auckland Provincial District. Christchurch. Retrieved 28 June 2010.
  15. "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  16. The New Zealand Official Year-Book. Government Printer. 1936. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  17. The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  18. Skinner, W. A. G. (1929). The General Election, 1928. Government Printer. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  19. The General Election, 1925. Government Printer. 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  20. "General Election". The Evening Post CX (30). 4 August 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 22 April 2015.
  21. The New Zealand Official Year-Book. Government Printer. 1924. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  22. McRobie 1989, pp. 83f.
  23. Hislop 1923, pp. 1–6.
  24. Hislop, J. (1921). The General Election, 1919. National Library. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 6 December 2014.

References

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