Buller (New Zealand electorate)

Buller is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1871 to 1972. It was represented by eleven Members of Parliament.

Population centres

The 1870 electoral redistribution was undertaken by a parliamentary select committee based on population data from the 1867 census. Eight sub-committees were formed, with two members each making decisions for their own province; thus members set their own electorate boundaries. The number of electorates was increased from 61 to 72, and Buller was one of the new electorates.[1] The Buller electorate was created from areas that previously belonged to the Waimea and Westland electorates.[2] Settlements located in the initial electorate area were Westport, Inangahua, and Reefton.[3]

History

The electorate's first representative was Eugene O'Conor, who was successful in the 1871 election, but he was defeated at the next election in 1876 by Joseph Henry.[4] Henry in turn was defeated by James Bickerton Fisher[5] at the 1879 election.[6] Fisher retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1881.[7]

Fisher was succeeded by John Munro, who won the 1881 election.[8] Munro was defeated at the next election in 1884 by Eugene O'Conor, who thus started his second period of representation.[9] O'Conor, who joined the Liberal Party, was beaten in 1893 election by Roderick McKenzie.[10] In the 1896 election, McKenzie successfully stood in the Motueka electorate.[11]

Patrick O'Regan won the 1896 election in the Buller electorate.[12] At the 1899 election, he was defeated by James Colvin, who held the electorate until his death in 1919.[13]

From 1919 the Buller electorate was represented by two radical trade unionists from the coal mines of the West Coast, Harry Holland and Paddy Webb. Harry Holland and then Jerry Skinner died in office.

In 1972, the electorate was split into the West Coast and Tasman electorates.

Members of Parliament

The Buller electorate was represented by eleven MPs:

Key

 Independent    Liberal    Independent Liberal    Labour  

Election Winner
1871 election Eugene O'Conor
1876 election Joseph Henry
1879 election James Bickerton Fisher
1881 election John Munro
1884 election Eugene O'Conor
1887 election
1890 election
1893 election Roderick McKenzie
1896 election Patrick O'Regan
1899 election James Colvin
1902 election
1905 election
1908 election
1911 election
1914 election
1919 election Harry Holland
1922 election
1925 election
1928 election
1931 election
1933 by-election Paddy Webb
1935 election
1938 election
1943 election
1946 election Clarence Skinner
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election
1960 election
1962 by-election Bill Rowling
1963 election
1966 election
1969 election
(Electorate abolished 1972; see Tasman and West Coast)

Election results

1962 by-election

Buller by-election, 1962[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bill Rowling 5,242 44.98
National Ernie King 4,846 41.58
Social Credit P. H. Matthews 1,566 13.44
Majority 396 3.40
Informal votes 37 0.32
Turnout 11,691 79.40
Registered electors 14,724
Labour hold Swing

1933 by-election

Buller by-election, 1933[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paddy Webb 4,799 68.10
Liberal-Labour H. Ian Simpson 2,249 31.90
Majority 2,550 36.18
Turnout 7,048

1931 election

General election, 1931: Buller[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Harry Holland 6,136 71.01
Reform John Menzies[17] 2,505 28.99
Majority 3,631 42.02
Informal votes 151 1.72
Turnout 8,792 89.02
Registered electors 9,876

1914 election

General election, 1914[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal James Colvin 3,594 67.00
Reform George Powell 1,399 26.08
Social Democrat Hugh Gillen 371 6.91
Majority 2,195 40.92
Informal votes 73 1.36
Turnout 5,364 81.30
Registered electors 6,597

1899 election

General election, 1899: Buller[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Liberal James Colvin 2,846 55.37
Liberal Patrick O'Regan 2,294 44.63
Majority 552 10.74
Turnout 5,140 87.68
Registered electors 5,862

1893 election

General election, 1893: Buller[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Roderick McKenzie 1,817 53.11
Liberal Eugene O'Conor 1,604 46.89
Majority 213 6.23
Turnout 3,421 84.39
Registered electors 4,054

Notes

  1. McRobie 1989, p. 39.
  2. McRobie 1989, pp. 37, 41.
  3. McRobie 1989, p. 41.
  4. Wilson 1985, pp. 204, 224.
  5. The Cyclopedia Company Limited, ed. (1906). "Former Members Of The House Of Representatives". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand - Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts. Christchurch. Retrieved 6 March 2010.
  6. Wilson 1985, pp. 196, 204.
  7. Wilson 1985, p. 196.
  8. Wilson 1985, p. 222.
  9. Wilson 1985, pp. 222, 224.
  10. Wilson 1985, pp. 216, 224.
  11. Wilson 1985, p. 216.
  12. Wilson 1985, p. 224.
  13. Wilson 1985, pp. 190, 224.
  14. Norton 1988, p. 204.
  15. "Buller By-Election". The Press LXIX (21026). 30 November 1933. p. 8. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  16. The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 2. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  17. "Buller Electorate". The Evening Post CXII (127). 25 November 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  18. Hislop, J. (1915). The General Election, 1914. National Library. pp. 1–33. Retrieved 1 August 2013.
  19. "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
  20. "The General Election, 1893". National Library. 1894. p. 2. Retrieved 26 March 2014.

References

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