Timaru was a parliamentary electorate, in New Zealand's South Island. It existed continuously from 1861 to 1996 and was represented by eleven Members of Parliament.
In the 1860 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of representatives by 12, reflecting the immense population growth since the original electorates were established in 1853. The redistribution created 15 additional electorates with between one and three members, and Timaru was one of the single-member electorates.[1] The electorates were distributed to provinces so that every province had at least two members. Within each province, the number of registered electors by electorate varied greatly.[1] The Timaru electorate had 121 registered electors for the 1861 election.[2]
The electorate is partly urban, and is based on the South Canterbury city of Timaru.
The electorate was formed in 1861 for the 3rd Parliament and existed continuously until the 1996 election.[3]
Francis Jollie was the first representative. In the 1866 election, he successfully stood for Gladstone. Alfred Cox was the next representative. At the nomination meeting, Nathan Fisher was put forward as a candidate but he declined to stand, and Cox was declared elected unopposed.[4] Cox resigned in 1868 partway through the term. Edward Stafford won the resulting 1868 by-election. He represented the electorate for a decade and resigned in 1878.
Richard Turnbull won the 1878 by-election and represented Timaru until 1890, when he died on 17 July.[5] He had contested the 1887 election against Edward George Kerr,[6] the proprietor of The Timaru Herald,[7] and had won with a comfortable majority.[8]
William Hall-Jones won the 1890 by-election. He became Prime Minister during his term, and retired in 1908.
James Craigie was the next representative, from the 1908 election. He retired in 1922. Craigie was succeeded by Frank Rolleston, who was defeated at the 1928 election.[9]
From 1928 to 1985, the seat was held by two Labour MPs: Rev Clyde Carr a Christian minister who was a supporter of John A. Lee and remained a backbencher; and then Sir Basil Arthur a hereditary baronet and later Speaker of the House.
David Lange recalled in My Life (2005) the death of Sir Basil, and also that Labour lost the subsequent 1985 by-election when "the Labour Party organisation insisted on the selection of a candidate who could hardly be less suited to the place" and "was a good lawyer but she did not live in Timaru, and her opinions, and even her appearance, were at odds with the conservative character of the electorate." Jim Sutton won the seat back for Labour in 1993.
Key
Independent Independent Liberal Liberal Reform Labour National
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jim Sutton | 10,153 | 46.96 | ||
National | Maurice McTigue | 7,213 | 33.36 | -18.02 | |
Alliance | Peter Binns | 2,533 | 11.71 | +3.18 | |
NZ First | Jenny Bloxham | 1,459 | 6.74 | ||
Christian Heritage | S Brodie | 200 | 0.92 | ||
Natural Law | S Sole | 59 | 0.27 | ||
Majority | 2,940 | 13.60 | |||
Turnout | 21,617 | 86.80 | +0.19 | ||
Registered electors | 24,902 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National | Maurice McTigue | 10,471 | 51.38 | +0.77 | |
Labour | Gary Clarke | 7,279 | 35.72 | -10.90 | |
Green | Peter Binns | 1,739 | 8.53 | ||
NewLabour | Eveline Glanville | 674 | 3.30 | ||
Democrats | David Wood | 213 | 1.04 | ||
Majority | 3,192 | 15.66 | +11.67 | ||
Turnout | 20,376 | 86.61 | -4.47 | ||
Registered electors | 23,526 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National | Maurice McTigue | 10,870 | 50.61 | +7.94 | |
Labour | Gary Clarke | 10,013 | 46.62 | ||
Democrats | Lynley Simmons | 488 | 2.27 | -5.14 | |
Independent | Stanley Lusby | 53 | 0.24 | ||
NZ Party | McGregor Simpson | 53 | 0.24 | ||
Majority | 857 | 3.99 | -2.80 | ||
Turnout | 21,477 | 91.08 | +1.09 | ||
Registered electors | 23,580 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
National | Maurice McTigue | 9,371 | 42.67 | +4.22 | |
Labour | Jan Walker | 7,879 | 35.88 | ||
NZ Party | Bill Greenslade | 2,998 | 13.65 | ||
Social Credit | Lynley Simmons | 1,628 | 7.41 | +2.10 | |
Values | Jamie Luck | 54 | 0.25 | ||
Independent Labour | Alan Falloon | 31 | 0.14 | ||
Majority | 1,492 | 6.79 | |||
Informal votes | 66 | 0.29 | |||
Turnout | 22,027 | 89.99 | -3.19 | ||
Registered electors | 24,476 | ||||
National gain from Labour | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 11,033 | 48.13 | +3.96 | |
National | Maurice McTigue | 8,814 | 38.45 | ||
NZ Party | Christine Musgrave | 1,855 | 8.09 | ||
Social Credit | Lynley Simmons | 1,217 | 5.31 | -14.06 | |
Majority | 2,224 | 9.70 | +0.78 | ||
Turnout | 22,919 | 93.18 | +3.16 | ||
Registered electors | 24,594 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 9,281 | 44.77 | -3.98 | |
National | Jane Coughlan | 7,431 | 35.85 | ||
Social Credit | Lynley Simmons | 4,015 | 19.37 | ||
Majority | 1,850 | 8.92 | -1.74 | ||
Turnout | 20,727 | 90.02 | +11.73 | ||
Registered electors | 23,024 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 9,977 | 48.75 | +1.27 | |
National | Bill Penno | 7,794 | 38.08 | ||
Social Credit | Ted Rapsey | 2,180 | 10.65 | ||
Values | L A Durland | 512 | 2.50 | ||
Majority | 2,183 | 10.66 | +5.22 | ||
Turnout | 20,463 | 78.29 | -5.80 | ||
Registered electors | 26,135 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 8,815 | 47.48 | -10.77 | |
National | Dave Walker | 7,804 | 42.04 | +7.39 | |
Social Credit | Ted Rapsey | 1,140 | 6.14 | ||
Values | Mary Mold | 803 | 4.32 | ||
Majority | 1,011 | 5.44 | -18.16 | ||
Turnout | 18,562 | 84.09 | -6.10 | ||
Registered electors | 22,072 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 9,760 | 58.25 | +2.24 | |
National | Dave Walker | 5,806 | 34.65 | +2.90 | |
Social Credit | J H L Body | 599 | 3.57 | ||
Values | Philip Lister | 403 | 2.40 | ||
New Democratic | D W Armstrong | 186 | 1.11 | ||
Majority | 3,954 | 23.60 | +5.15 | ||
Turnout | 16,754 | 90.19 | +0.01 | ||
Registered electors | 18,575 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 9,412 | 56.01 | +0.95 | |
National | Dave Walker | 6,311 | 37.55 | ||
Social Credit | Maurice Hayes | 1,084 | 6.44 | -2.58 | |
Majority | 3,101 | 18.45 | -0.71 | ||
Turnout | 16,807 | 90.18 | +1.46 | ||
Registered electors | 18,636 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 8,929 | 55.06 | -1.28 | |
National | Norman Stanley Brown | 5,821 | 35.90 | ||
Social Credit | Maurice Hayes | 1,464 | 9.02 | +4.62 | |
Majority | 3,108 | 19.16 | +2.08 | ||
Turnout | 16,214 | 88.72 | -2.83 | ||
Registered electors | 18,274 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 9,334 | 56.34 | +3.79 | |
National | Maurice John O'Reilly | 6,503 | 39.25 | ||
Social Credit | Maurice Hayes | 729 | 4.40 | +0.43 | |
Majority | 2,831 | 17.08 | +8.02 | ||
Turnout | 16,566 | 91.55 | +7.76 | ||
Registered electors | 18,094 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Sir Basil Arthur | 7,578 | 52.55 | ||
National | Derek Quigley | 6,271 | 43.49 | ||
Social Credit | Maurice Hayes | 572 | 3.97 | ||
Majority | 1,307 | 9.06 | |||
Informal votes | 34 | 0.24 | |||
Turnout | 14,455 | 83.79 | -7.62 | ||
Registered electors | 17,252 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 7,617 | 49.11 | -4.60 | |
National | Ronald Erle White | 7,260 | 46.81 | ||
Social Credit | Francis C. Isitt | 542 | 3.49 | -0.11 | |
Independent | J R Rae | 90 | 0.58 | ||
Majority | 357 | 2.30 | -16.63 | ||
Turnout | 15,509 | 91.41 | -2.94 | ||
Registered electors | 16,966 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 8,379 | 53.71 | +8.85 | |
National | Alfred Davey | 6,657 | 42.67 | ||
Social Credit | Francis C. Isitt | 562 | 3.60 | ||
Majority | 2,954 | 18.93 | +8.71 | ||
Turnout | 15,598 | 94.35 | +0.89 | ||
Registered electors | 16,532 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 6,241 | 44.86 | -7.16 | |
National | Vic Wilson | 4,818 | 34.63 | ||
Social Credit | George Edmonds | 2,853 | 20.50 | ||
Majority | 1,423 | 10.22 | +6.19 | ||
Turnout | 13,912 | 93.46 | +1.78 | ||
Registered electors | 14,884 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 7,265 | 52.02 | -0.97 | |
National | William Leslie Richards | 6,701 | 47.98 | ||
Majority | 564 | 4.03 | -1.95 | ||
Turnout | 13,966 | 91.68 | -3.31 | ||
Registered electors | 15,233 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 7,364 | 52.99 | +1.07 | |
National | Jack Lockington | 6,532 | 47.01 | ||
Majority | 832 | 5.98 | +2.13 | ||
Turnout | 13,896 | 94.99 | -0.01 | ||
Registered electors | 14,628 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 7,005 | 51.92 | +1.49 | |
National | Jack Acland | 6,485 | 48.07 | ||
Majority | 520 | 3.85 | -9.59 | ||
Turnout | 13,490 | 95.00 | -0.90 | ||
Registered electors | 14,200 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 6,383 | 50.43 | ||
National | Jack Satterthwaite | 4,682 | 36.99 | ||
Democratic Labour | Douglas Cresswell | 1,504 | 11.88 | ||
Informal votes | 86 | 0.67 | |||
Majority | 1,701 | 13.44 | |||
Turnout | 12,655 | 95.90 | |||
Registered electors | 13,195 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 5,407 | 48.45 | -3.74 | |
Reform | Herbert N. Armstrong[19] | 4,587 | 41.11 | ||
United | Herbert Hall[19] | 1,165 | 10.44 | ||
Majority | 820 | 7.35 | +2.95 | ||
Informal votes | 35 | 0.31 | -1.68 | ||
Turnout | 11,194 | 90.31 | -1.45 | ||
Registered electors | 12,395 |
Table footnotes:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Clyde Carr | 5,547 | 52.20 | ||
Reform | Frank Rolleston | 5,080 | 47.80 | ||
Majority | 467 | 4.39 | |||
Informal votes | 216 | 1.99 | |||
Turnout | 10,843 | 91.76 | |||
Registered electors | 11,817 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | William Hall-Jones | 3,091 | 77.68 | ||
Independent Liberal | James Stephen Keith[nb 1] | 816 | 20.51 | ||
Independent Labour | Joseph Mahoney[nb 2] | 72 | 1.81 | ||
Majority | 2,275 | 57.18 | |||
Turnout | 3,979 | 79.29 | |||
Registered electors | 5,018 |
Table footnotes:
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal | William Hall-Jones | 1,914 | 55.94 | +24.16 | |
Liberal | Edward G. Kerr | 1,507 | 44.05 | +15.77 | |
Majority | 407 | 11.89 | +8.39 | ||
Turnout | 3,421 | 81.22 | +20.78 | ||
Registered electors | 4,212 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal | William Hall-Jones | 472 | 31.78 | -16.83 | |
Independent | Edward G. Kerr[7] | 420 | 28.28 | -11.35 | |
Liberal | Jeremiah Twomey | 366 | 24.65 | ||
Conservative | Samuel Frederick Smithson | 218 | 14.68 | ||
Liberal | Philip E. Thoreau | 9 | 0.61 | ||
Majority | 52 | 3.50 | -5.48 | ||
Turnout | 1,485 | 60.44 | -6.84 | ||
Registered electors | 2,457 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent Liberal | William Hall-Jones | 422 | 48.61 | ||
Independent | Edward G. Kerr | 344 | 39.63 | -0.58 | |
Independent Labour | W F Alpin | 88 | 10.13 | ||
Informal votes | 14 | 1.61 | |||
Majority | 78 | 8.98 | |||
Turnout | 868 | 67.28 | -0.27 |