Masterton (New Zealand electorate)

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Masterton was a New Zealand electorate from 1887 to 1946, focused on the town of Masterton and the surrounding area.

Population centres[edit]

In the 1887 electoral redistribution, although the Representation Commission was required through the Representation Act 1887 to maintain existing electorates "as far as possible", rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Ten new electorates were created, including Masterton, and one former electorate was recreated.[1]

The Masterton electorate's boundaries were roughly based on those of the Wairarapa North electorate that it replaced, although it was not an exact match. The electorate ran from the Tararua Ranges down to the sea, with its northern boundary just north of Eketahuna and its southern boundary just south of the largest Wairarapa town of Masterton.[2]

The 1890 election saw the electorate gain Pahiatua and Woodville, but lose territory on the coast south of Castlepoint. At the 1893 elections, it lost Woodville, and in the 1896 election, it lost Pahiatua. In the 1911 election, it lost Castlepoint, leaving it almost landlocked.

History[edit]

The electorate of Masterton was created for the 1887 general election. It was represented by five Members of Parliament.[3]

The electorate was abolished in 1946;[3] the town of Masterton itself was moved to the Wairarapa electorate, while the rest was moved to the Pahiatua electorate.

Election results[edit]

Key

  Independent   Liberal   Reform   Labour   National

Election Winner
1887 election George Beetham
1890 election Alexander Hogg
1893 election
1896 election
1899 election
1902 election
1905 election
1908 election
1911 election George Sykes
1914 election
1919 election
1922 election
1925 election
1928 election
1931 election
1935 election John Robertson
1938 election
1943 election Garnet Mackley
(Electorate abolished in 1946; see Wairarapa)

Election results[edit]

1943 election[edit]

1943 general election: Masterton[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Garnet Mackley 5,061 47.88
Labour John Robertson 4,567 43.21 -7.28
Democratic Labour Donald Alexander Thompson 581 5.49
Independent Justin McCarthy Power 285 2.69
Informal votes 75 0.70 -0.08
Majority 494 4.67
Turnout 10,569 91.94 -2.39
Registered electors 11,495

1938 election[edit]

1938 general election: Masterton[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 5,385 50.49 +13.03
National Jack Irving 5,195 48.71
Informal votes 84 0.78 +0.48
Majority 190 1.78 -1.66
Turnout 10,664 94.33 +1.66
Registered electors 11,304

1935 election[edit]

1935 general election: Masterton[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Robertson 3,532 37.46
Reform George Sykes 3,207 34.01 -23.29
Democrat Thomas Hislop 2,688 28.51
Informal votes 29 0.30 -0.37
Majority 325 3.44
Turnout 9,427 92.67 +7.88
Registered electors 10,172

1931 election[edit]

1931 general election: Masterton[7][8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform George Sykes 4,660 57.30
Labour Peter Butler 2,709 33.31
Independent Arthur Henry Vile 764 9.39
Informal votes 55 0.67
Majority 1,951 23.99
Turnout 8,188 84.79
Registered electors 9,657

1928 election[edit]

1928 general election: Masterton[9][10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform George Sykes 4,207 48.62 -6.63
United William Thompson 2,969 34.31
Labour Ben Roberts 1,477 17.07
Informal votes 72 0.83 -0.23
Majority 1,238 14.31 +2.75
Turnout 8,725 89.92 -1.90
Registered electors 9,703

1925 election[edit]

1925 general election: Masterton[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform George Sykes 4,403 55.25
Liberal Jack Andrews 3,481 43.68
Informal votes 85 1.06
Majority 922 11.56
Turnout 7,969 91.82
Registered electors 8,678

1899 election[edit]

1899 general election: Masterton[12][13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Hogg 2,591 64.92
Conservative Charles Edwin Cockburn-Hood 1,400 35.08
Majority 1,191 29.84
Turnout 3,991 77.17
Registered electors 5,172

1893 election[edit]

1893 general election: Masterton[14][15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Hogg 2,282 60.63 +9.80
Conservative Joseph Harkness 1,054 28.00
Liberal William Wilson McCardle 428 11.37
Majority 1,228 32.62 +31.78
Turnout 3,764 69.59 +9.88
Registered electors 5,409

1890 election[edit]

1890 general election: Masterton[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Alexander Hogg 1,069 50.43
Conservative George Beetham 1,051 49.57
Majority 18 0.84
Turnout 2,120 49.71
Registered electors 4,264

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 50–53.
  2. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 46, 50.
  3. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 160.
  4. ^ "The General Election, 1943". National Library. 1944. p. 11. Retrieved 28 March 2014.
  5. ^ "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. pp. 1–6. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  6. ^ The General Election, 1935. Government Printer. 1936. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  7. ^ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 3. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  8. ^ "Notice of nominations received and polling places appointed". Wairarapa Daily Times. 21 November 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  9. ^ Skinner, W. A. G. (1929). The General Election, 1928. Government Printer. p. 3. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  10. ^ "Notice of nominations received and polling places appointed". Wairarapa Daily Times. 30 October 1928. p. 4. Retrieved 18 February 2020.
  11. ^ The General Election, 1925. Government Printer. 1926. p. 2. Retrieved 20 November 2014.
  12. ^ "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 1. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  13. ^ "Masterton Electorate". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XVI, no. 6410. 4 December 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  14. ^ The General Election, 1893. Government Printer. 1894. p. 1. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  15. ^ "The General Election". Otago Daily Times. 28 November 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  16. ^ "The General Election, 1890". National Library. 1891. Retrieved 25 February 2012.

References[edit]

  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Scholefield, Guy Hardy (1925) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record (2nd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
  • Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.