Petone (New Zealand electorate)

Petone is a former parliamentary electorate in the lower Hutt Valley of New Zealand, from 1946 to 1978. The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament from the Labour Party.

Population centres

The 1941 census had been postponed due to World War II, so the 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. The abolition of the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 27 electorates were abolished, eight former electorates were re-established, and 19 electorates were created for the first time, including Petone.[1] The electorate was based on the southern part of the city of Lower Hutt. Settlements within the electorate included the suburb of Petone, Wainuiomata, and Eastbourne.[2]

The Petone electorate was abolished through the 1977 electoral redistribution.[3] Most of its area went to the Pencarrow electorate, while some area, including the suburb of Petone, transferred to the Western Hutt electorate.

History

The Petone electorate was first used for the 1946 election. Its first representative was Michael Moohan of the Labour Party, who was Minister of Railways from 1957 to 1960 while serving the electorate. Moohan died in office on 7 February 1967.[4]

This caused the 1967 by-election, which was won by Fraser Colman. He served until the electorate was abolished in 1978, and moved to the Pencarrow electorate.[5]

Members of Parliament

The Petone electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament.[6]

Key

 Labour  

Election Winner
1946 election Michael Moohan
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election
1960 election
1963 election
1966 election
1967 by-election Fraser Colman
1969 election
1972 election
1975 election
(Electorate abolished in 1978;
see Pencarrow and Western Hutt)

Election results

1967 by-election

Petone by-election, 1967
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Labour Fraser Colman 7,086 54.60
National R. M. Martin 4,003 30.85
Social Credit C. J. Whitmill 1,888 14.55
Majority 3,083 23.76
Turnout 12,977 67.58
Registered electors 19,203
Labour hold Swing

Notes

  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 91–96.
  2. McRobie 1989, p. 94.
  3. McRobie 1989, pp. 115, 119.
  4. Wilson 1985, p. 221.
  5. Wilson 1985, p. 190.
  6. Wilson 1985, p. 270.

References

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