Otahuhu (New Zealand electorate)

Otahuhu is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate in the southern suburbs of the city of Auckland, from 1938 to 1963, and then from 1972 to 1984.

Population centres

The 1931 census had been cancelled due to the Great Depression, so the 1937 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth into account. The increasing population imbalance between the North and South Islands had slowed, and only one electorate seat was transferred from south to north. Five electorates were abolished, one former electorate (Onehunga) was re-established, and four electorates were created for the first time, including Otahuhu.^[1]

For the purposes of the country quota, the 1936 census had determined that some 30% of the population lived in urban areas, and the balance in rural areas.^[2] 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,^[3] and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87.^[4] Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. ^[4] In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created.^[5] In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated (including Otahuhu), and six electorates were newly created.^[6]

The Otahuhu electorate was located in the south of Auckland. Settlements that fell into the initial Otahuhu electorate were Howick, Papatoetoe, Mangere, Manurewa, and Brookby.^[7]

History

The first representative, elected in 1938, was Charles Robert Petrie. In the previous parliamentary term, Petrie had represented the Hauraki electorate, which then had covered the South Auckland suburbs.^[8][9] Petrie retired in 1949.^[8]

In the 1963 general election the seat was abolished and Bob Tizard stood in Pakuranga, so only represented Otahuhu from 16 March (after a by-election due to the death of James Deas) to 29 October 1963. He later returned to the seat when it was reconstituted. When it was abolished in 1984, he stood in Panmure.

Members of Parliament

Key

  Labour     National  

Election	Winner
1938 election		Charles Robert Petrie
1943 election
1946 election
1949 election		Leon Götz
1951 election
1954 election		James Deas
1957 election
1960 election
1963 by-election		Bob Tizard
(Electorate abolished 1963–1972; see Pakuranga)
1972 election		Bob Tizard (2nd period)
1975 election
1978 election
1981 election
(Electorate abolished in 1984)

Election results

1963 by-election

Otahuhu by-election, 1963[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Bob Tizard	9,247	56.19
	National	T J L Tucker	6,473	39.34
	Social Credit	A R Donovan	622	3.78
	Communist	S H Hieatt	114	0.69
Majority			2,774	16.86
Informal votes			21	0.13
Turnout			11,795	86.96
Registered electors			18,947
	Labour hold		Swing

Notes

1. McRobie 1989, pp. 87–92.
2. McRobie 1989, p. 91.
3. McRobie 1989, p. 111.
4. McRobie 1989, p. 115.
5. McRobie 1989, pp. 112, 116.
6. McRobie 1989, pp. 111, 115.
7. McRobie 1989, p. 90.
8. Wilson 1985, p. 226.
9. McRobie 1989, p. 86.
10. Norton 1988, p. 300.

References

• McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
• Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.