1939 Christchurch South by-election

Background

Since the first election of Ted Howard in the 1919 general election, Christchurch South was held by the Labour Party. At the last general election in 1938, Howard had polled 9,885 votes versus 3,890 votes for Gladstone Ward, the son of former Prime Minister Joseph Ward. When Howard died on 26 April 1939, the electorate was thus regarded as a safe seat for Labour.

On nomination day, two candidates were put forward, Robert Macfarlane for the Labour Party and Melville Lyons for the National Party. Mabel Howard, Ted Howard's daughter, had hoped to be put forward by the Labour Party, and she was endorsed by the local branch of the party. The national executive of the Labour Party chose Macfarlane, and Howard believed that she was opposed by the party's hierarchy due to her connections to John A. Lee, who was seen as a radical within the party. The chosen candidate, Macfarlane, had been Mayor of Christchurch since the previous year.

Results

Results of the Christchurch South general election held on 15 October 1938 were:

Results of the by-election held on 3 June 1939 were:

There were 20 polling booths and Lyons obtained a majority at only two of those (at Kilmore Street and at the Provincial Chambers in Durham Street). Macfarlane could increase the Labour vote at one polling booth only (Antigua Street in Sydenham). Macfarlane stated that in his belief, about 2,000 Labour Party supporters did not vote because the outcome of the election was a foregone conclusion. This view was disputed in an editorial by The Evening Post, arguing that the reduced Labour support is due to Howard's popularity that Macfarlane does not possess despite many high-profile politicians having campaigned on Labour's behalf, and that it is more likely that National supporters have suffered from apathy, as Lyons never had any hope of winning the election.

Macfarlane held the electorate until its abolition at the 1946 general election and subsequently Christchurch Central until the 1969 general election, when he retired.

Notes

References

• New Zealand Official Yearbook 1940 p926

References

1. (2 June 1939). "The By-Election". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
2. (22 October 1938). "General Election". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
3. (22 May 1939). "City By-Election". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
4. (3 May 1939). "Labour Party Nomination". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
5. {{DNZB. McAloon. Jim. 5H38. Howard, Mabel Bowden. 15 November 2011
6. "Chairmen and mayors". [[Christchurch City Council]].
7. (9 June 1939). "Official Count". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
8. (5 June 1939). "Seat Retained". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
9. (5 June 1939). "A Hard Fight". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).
10. (5 June 1939). "A Straw Vote". [[The Evening Post (New Zealand).