Riccarton (New Zealand electorate)

Former electorate in Canterbury, New Zealand

Riccarton is a former New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1893 to 1978, and was represented by eight Members of Parliament.

## Population centres[edit]

In the 1892 electoral redistribution, population shift to the North Island required the transfer of one seat from the South Island to the north. The resulting ripple effect saw every electorate established in 1890 have its boundaries altered, and eight electorates were established for the first time, including Riccarton.[1]

The electorate was in the western suburbs of Christchurch, New Zealand, and was based on the suburb of Riccarton.

## History[edit]

The electorate was created in 1893,[2] and existed to 1978 when it was abolished.

The first representative of the electorate was George Warren Russell, who started his parliamentary career with his 1893 election.[3] Russell was beaten in the 1896 election by William Rolleston,[4] who had distinguished himself through his contribution to education and his support for Canterbury Museum. Rolleston was the last Superintendent of Canterbury Province.[5] Russell regained the electorate in the 1899 election with a majority of one vote over Rolleston, which brought an end to that political career.[6] Russell lost the Riccarton electorate again in the 1902 election, this time to George Witty, who held the electorate for 23 years until 1925.[7]

The electorate was contested by three candidates in the 1922 election. George Witty was successful, with Bert Kyle coming second and Jack McCullough coming third.[8]

In the 1938 election, Labour's Thomas Herbert Langford came very close to defeating the National incumbent, Bert Kyle. Before the counting of the absentee and postal votes, Langford was leading by 38 votes.[9] The final count saw Kyle with a majority of 87 votes.[10]

### Members of Parliament[edit]

The Riccarton electorate was represented by eight Members of Parliament.

Key

Liberal Conservative Independent Liberal
Reform Independent National Labour

Election  | Winner

|

1893 election |  | George Russell
1896 election |  | William Rolleston
1899 election |  | George Russell
1902 election |  | George Witty
1905 election
1908 election
1911 election
1914 election
1919 election
1922 election |
1925 election |  | Bert Kyle
1928 election
1931 election
1935 election |
1938 election |
1943 election |  | Jack Watts
1946 election |  | Angus McLagan
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1956 by-election |  | Mick Connelly
1957 election
1960 election
1963 election
1966 election
1969 election |  | Eric Holland
1972 election
1975 election
(Electorate abolished 1978)

## Election results[edit]

### 1975 election[edit]

1975 general election: Riccarton[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National | Eric Holland | 10,937  | 57.24  | +3.87
| Labour | Don Johnson  | 6,171  | 32.29  |
| Values | Beverley Hughes  | 1,440  | 7.53  |
| Social Credit | Jim Biggs  | 503  | 2.63  | +0.32
| Imperial British Conservative | Brian Downham  | 55  | 0.28  |
Majority  | 4,766  | 24.94  | +12.72
Turnout | 19,106  | 83.49  | -8.17
Registered electors | 22,882  |  |

### 1972 election[edit]

1972 general election: Riccarton[11] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National | Eric Holland | 9,451  | 53.37  | -2.35
| Labour | David Jackson  | 7,287  | 41.15  |
| Values | Peter Lusk  | 441  | 2.49  |
| Social Credit | Jim Biggs  | 410  | 2.31  |
| New Democratic | Charles Cullen  | 91  | 0.51  | -4.51
| Independent | Earl Sydney William Constable  | 26  | 0.14  |
Majority  | 2,164  | 12.22  | -4.25
Turnout | 17,706  | 91.66  | +0.41
Registered electors | 19,317  |  |

### 1969 election[edit]

1969 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| National | Eric Holland | 9,942  | 55.72  |
| Labour | Alan C. McEwen  | 7,003  | 39.25  |
| Social Credit | Charles Cullen  | 897  | 5.02  | -6.72
Majority  | 2,939  | 16.47  |
Turnout | 17,842  | 91.25  | +4.27
Registered electors | 19,551  |  |

### 1966 election[edit]

1966 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mick Connelly | 8,834  | 52.17  | -2.38
| National | Ian Wilson  | 6,109  | 36.07  | -2.44
| Social Credit | Charles Cullen  | 1,989  | 11.74  | +4.82
Majority  | 2,725  | 16.09  | +0.05
Turnout | 16,932  | 86.98  | -2.82
Registered electors | 19,466  |  |

### 1963 election[edit]

1963 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mick Connelly | 8,670  | 54.55  | -6.42
| National | Ian Wilson  | 6,120  | 38.51  |
| Social Credit | Charles Cullen  | 1,101  | 6.92  | -0.52
Majority  | 2,550  | 16.04  | +1.27
Turnout | 15,891  | 89.80  | -11.04
Registered electors | 17,695  |  |

### 1960 election[edit]

1960 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mick Connelly | 8,342  | 60.97  | +3.45
| National | Deena V. Sergel  | 4,320  | 31.57  | -5.66
| Social Credit | Charles Cullen  | 1,019  | 7.44  |
Majority  | 2,022  | 14.77  | -5.52
Turnout | 13,681  | 78.76  | -13.29
Registered electors | 17,370  |  |

### 1957 election[edit]

1957 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mick Connelly | 8,128  | 57.52  | -3.93
| National | Deena V. Sergel  | 5,261  | 37.23  |
| Social Credit | Jesse Colechin  | 740  | 5.23  |
Majority  | 2,867  | 20.29  | +15.51
Turnout | 14,129  | 92.05  | +25.77
Registered electors | 15,348  |  |

### 1956 by-election[edit]

1956 Riccarton by-election[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Mick Connelly | 6,549  | 61.45  |
| National | Balfour Grieve Dingwall  | 2,691  | 25.25  | -0.96
| Social Credit | Wilfrid Owen | 1,379  | 12.94  |
| Ind. Social Credit | Ernest Yealands  | 28  | 0.26  |
| Independent | Richard Israel Charles Grenfell  | 11  | 0.10  |
Informal votes  | 40  | 0.37  |
Majority  | 3,858  | 36.20  |
Turnout | 10,698  | 66.28  | -24.33
Registered electors | 16,140  |  |
| Labour hold | Swing |  |

### 1954 election[edit]

1954 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Angus McLagan | 8,195  | 56.03  | -1.64
| National | Balfour Grieve Dingwall  | 3,832  | 26.19  |
| Social Credit | Jesse Colechin  | 2,599  | 17.76  |
Majority  | 4,343  | 29.69  | +14.34
Turnout | 14,626  | 90.61  | +3.30
Registered electors | 16,140  |  |

### 1951 election[edit]

1951 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Angus McLagan | 8,506  | 57.67  | -0.83
| National | Eric Philip Wills  | 6,241  | 42.32  |
Majority  | 2,265  | 15.35  | -3.03
Turnout | 14,747  | 87.31  | -4.34
Registered electors | 16,889  |  |

### 1949 election[edit]

1949 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Angus McLagan | 8,613  | 58.50  | -5.22
| National | Harry Lake | 5,906  | 40.11  |
| Communist | Ronald Taylor  | 204  | 1.38  |
Majority  | 2,707  | 18.38  | -9.13
Turnout | 14,723  | 91.65  | -0.24
Registered electors | 16,063  |  |

### 1946 election[edit]

1946 general election: Riccarton[12] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Labour | Angus McLagan | 8,974  | 63.72  |
| National | Vic Wilson  | 5,109  | 36.27  |
Majority  | 3,875  | 27.51  |
Turnout | 14,083  | 91.89  |
Registered electors | 15,325  |  |

### 1943 election[edit]

There were four candidates in 1943, with the election won by Jack Watts over Harold Ernest Denton.[13]

### 1931 election[edit]

1931 general election: Riccarton[14] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Reform | Bert Kyle | 4,355  | 40.09  | -2.28
| Independent | Archibald Albany McLachlan[mb 1] | 3,766  | 34.67  | -7.28
| Labour | G. T. Thurston  | 2,741  | 25.23  |
Majority  | 589  | 5.42  | +5.00
Informal votes  | 67  | 0.61  | -0.21
Turnout | 10,929  | 87.24  | -2.84
Registered electors | 12,528  |  |

Table footnotes:

1. ^ For some biographical details of McLachlan refer to his grandfather's article

### 1928 election[edit]

1928 general election: Riccarton[15] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Reform | Bert Kyle | 4,515  | 42.37  |
| United | Archibald Albany McLachlan[nb 1] | 4,470  | 41.95  |
| Labour | George Hartley Thompson[16] | 1,671  | 15.68  |
Majority  | 45  | 0.42  |
Informal votes  | 88  | 0.82  |
Turnout | 10,744  | 90.07  |
Registered electors | 11,928  |  |

Table footnotes:

1. ^ For some biographical details of McLachlan refer to his grandfather's article

### 1919 election[edit]

1919 general election: Riccarton[17][18] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | George Witty | 2,948  | 40.74  |
| Reform | William Russell Devereux  | 2,322  | 32.09  |
| Labour | John Robertson[19] | 1,966  | 27.17  |
Majority  | 626  | 8.65  |
Informal votes  | 89  | 1.22  |
Turnout | 7,325  | 84.97  |
Registered electors | 8,621  |  |

### 1905 election[edit]

1905 general election: Riccarton[20][21] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | George Witty | 2,294  | 55.54  |
| Conservative | Thomas Caverhill  | 1,054  | 25.52  |
| Independent Liberal | George Warren Russell | 679  | 16.44  |
| Liberal–Labour | John Ash Efford  | 103  | 2.49  |
Majority  | 1,240  | 30.02  |
Informal votes  | 66  | 1.57  |
Turnout | 4,196  | 84.12  |
Registered electors | 4,988  |  |

### 1899 election[edit]

1899 general election: Riccarton[22] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Liberal | George Warren Russell | 1,867  | 50.01  | +5.98
| Conservative | William Rolleston | 1,866  | 49.99  | -5.98
Majority  | 1  | 0.03  | -11.90
Turnout | 3,733  | 81.42  | +1.88
Registered electors | 4,585  |  |

### 1896 election[edit]

1896 general election: Riccarton[23] Party  | Candidate  | Votes  | %  | ±%

|
|
|
|

| Conservative | William Rolleston | 1,834  | 55.97  |
| Liberal | George Warren Russell | 1,443  | 44.03  |
Majority  | 391  | 11.93  |
Turnout | 3,277  | 79.54  |
Registered electors | 4,120  |  |

## Notes[edit]

1. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 59f.
2. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 163.
3. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 137.
4. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 136.
5. ^ Gardner, W. J. "Rolleston, William - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
6. ^ Greenaway, Richard L. N. (June 2007). "Avonside Anglican Parish Cemetery Tour" (PDF). Christchurch City Libraries. p. 19. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
7. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 149.
8. ^ "South Island Seats". Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle. Vol. XVIII, no. 909\. 12 December 1922. Retrieved 19 February 2012.
9. ^ "Double Voting?". Auckland Star. Vol. LXIX, no. 249\. 21 October 1938. p. 10. Retrieved 7 November 2013.
10. ^ "The General Election, 1938". National Library. 1939. p. 4. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
11. ^ a b Norton 1988, p. 334.
12. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Norton 1988, p. 333.
13. ^ "Public Notices". The Press. Vol. LXXIX, no. 24076\. 12 October 1943. p. 1. Retrieved 15 May 2017.
14. ^ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 4. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
15. ^ The General Election, 1928. Government Printer. 1929. p. 4. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
16. ^ "Christchurch Nominations". The Press. Vol. LXIV, no. 19451\. 26 October 1928. p. 14. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
17. ^ Hislop, J. (1921). The General Election, 1919. National Library. p. 4. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
18. ^ "Notice of Nominations Received". The Press. Vol. LV, no. 16702\. 10 December 1919. p. 12. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
19. ^ "The General Election". The Press. Vol. LV, no. 16666\. 29 October 1919. p. 10. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
20. ^ The General Election, 1905. National Library. 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 22 December 2014.
21. ^ "To-days election". The Star. No. 8490\. 6 December 1905. p. 1. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
22. ^ "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
23. ^ "Riccarton Electorate". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9593\. 7 December 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2014.

## References[edit]

* 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.
* 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.

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