Waimarino (New Zealand electorate)

In the 1911 electoral redistribution, the North Island gained a further seat from the South Island due to faster population growth. In addition, there were substantial population movements within each island, and significant changes resulted from this. Only four electorates were unaltered, five electorates were abolished, one former electorate was re-established, and four electorates, including Waimarino, were created for the first time.[1]

The Waimarino electorate was used in its initial form for the 1911 and 1914 elections.[2] The electorate was rural without any urban areas.[3] For the 1914 election, 73 polling stations were used, and at only 15 of them were more than 100 votes cast. These polling stations were in Taihape (878 votes), Ohakune (449), Raetihi (361), Manunui (331), Kakahi (279), Rangataua town hall (273), Ōwhango (270), Ohakune East (167), Fordell (163), Raurimu (158), Horopito (151), Upukongaroa [sic] (127), Umumuri (126), Piriaka (111), and Mataroa (107).[4] The electorate's area stretched from the South Taranaki Bight to Lake Taupō (but not Taupō itself), and from Taihape in the south-east to just outside Taumarunui in the north-west.[5]

In the 1918 Electoral Redistribution, the electorate moved further north. It no longer bordered onto the coast; that area was taken up by Rangitīkei, which incorporated Taihape. Taumarunui was now within the electorate.[6]

The 1922 Electoral Redistribution resulted in only minimal boundary changes. Significantly, for the first time, part of the population in the electorate was classed as urban (2,144 of 14,587 people, or 14.7%).[7]

The 1927 Electoral Redistribution, which took effect with the 1928 election, resulted in more significant boundary changes. The southern boundary moved further north, the boundary near Lake Taupō moved significantly further south, and land was gained in the north-west to near the North Taranaki Bight including the town of Ōhura. There was a slight decrease in the proportion of the population that was classed as urban (to 13.6%).[8]

The 1937 Electoral Redistribution, which took effect with the 1938 election, resulted in more boundary changes. Taihape moved back into the Waimarino electorate. The easternmost part of the electorate went to the Rotorua electorate including Tūrangi. In the north, some area was gained from the Waitomo electorate. The proportion of the population classed as urban increased to 24.5%.[9]

The 1946 Electoral Redistribution, which took effect with the 1946 election, resulted in very significant boundary changes. In 1945, the country quota had been abolished and as a result, mostly rural electorates like Waimarino had to increase significantly in area to compensate for this. Waimarino grew slightly to the south, significantly to the east, and very significantly to the north, and somewhat to the north-west. For the first time, Taupō was fully located within the electorate.[10]

In the 1952 Electoral Redistribution, Waimarino was abolished and the area divided between Rotorua, Waitomo, Patea, and Rangitīkei. This took effect with the 1954 election.[11]

Through the 1962 Electoral Redistribution, Waimarino was re-established mostly from areas that previously belonged to Patea and Waitomo, but also small areas that had belonged to Stratford and Egmont. This took effect with the 1963 election. It had again a coastal boundary with the South Taranaki Bight. The western boundary stopped just short of Patea. At the eastern end, Bulls came for the first time into the electorate. In the north, the electorate extended as far as Lake Taupō. Taumarunui was also again included within the electorate.[12]

The 1967 Electoral Redistribution, which took effect with the 1969 election, saw the electorate lose some area to Egmont, but gain some area from Waitomo (including Ōhura) and Taupo.[13]

In the 1972 Electoral Redistribution, Waimarino was abolished and the area divided mostly between Rangitīkei and King Country.[14]

The electorate of Waimarino was first created during the 1911 Electoral Redistribution. The South Island lost one electorate to the North Island in the redistribution, resulting in 42 and 34 European electorates, respectively. Significant population movements within the North Island resulted in significant adjustments, with only four electorates remaining unchanged.[3] The Waimarino electorate initially covered areas that were previously covered by Taumarunui, Hawke's Bay, and Rangitikei.[15]

Arthur Remington of the Liberal Party had held the Rangitikei electorate, but he died on 17 August 1909.[16] The resulting 1909 by-election was contested by five candidates, with Frank Hockly as one of the opposition candidates leading Robert William Smith for the government by 1548 votes to 1055.[17][18] At the time, the Second Ballot Act 1908 applied and since Hockly had not achieved an absolute majority, a second ballot between the two leading contenders was required.[19] In the second contest, Smith had a majority of 400 votes over Hockly and was thus declared elected.[20]

In the 1911 election, three candidates contested the new Waimarino electorate: Smith for the Liberal government, Hockly as the opposition candidate, and Joseph Ivess as an Independent Liberal.[21] Smith and Hockly progressed to the second ballot,[22] which was won by Smith with a 480 votes majority.[23][24] In the 1922 election, Smith was defeated by Labour's Frank Langstone. In the 1925 election, Smith won it back, but was defeated again by Langstone in the 1928 election.[25]

William Henry Wackrow, who had been nominated in 1922 for the Liberal Party in the Rotorua electorate[26] but who withdrew shortly before the election[27] unsuccessfully challenged Langstone in the 1931 election for the United Party.[28]

Langstone transferred to the Auckland electorate of Roskill in the 1946 election,[29] and Paddy Kearins became the new Labour representative.[30] In 1953 Kearins crossed the floor of parliament and voted with the government to support the Licensing Amendment Bill (No. 2). This Bill proposed that the licensing of the King Country, part of Kearins' electorate, be subject to a referendum.[31][32] Following the 1952 Electoral Redistribution, Kearins' electorate of Waimarino was abolished, which took effect for the 1954 election. The northern part of the electorate went to Rotorua, which included the towns of Taupō (which was previously located in Waimarino), Rotorua, and Tokoroa.[33] However, at the candidate selection for Rotorua, Ray Boord won the nomination over Kearins and was subsequently elected,[34] and "Labour lost its only farming voice... sacrificed by the party machine".[35][36][37][38][39] The central and southern parts of the Waimarino electorate were split between Waitomo, Patea, and Rangitikei.[40]

The 1962 Electoral Redistribution saw the re-establishment of the Waimarino electorate, which took effect with the 1963 election. National's Roy Jack, who had previously represented Patea, was the representative.[41] Following the 1967 Electoral Redistribution, Waimarino was abolished, which took effect for the 1969 election.[42]

The electorate was represented by four Members of Parliament.[43]

Key

  Liberal   Labour   National

• Cottrell, S. P. (1974). Parliament and Conscience: 1950–1972 (MA). Christchurch: University of Canterbury.
• Foster, Bernard John (22 April 2009) [1966]. McLintock, A. H. (ed.). Second Ballot System (1908–13). Wellington: An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
• Freer, Warren (2004). A Lifetime in Politics: the Memoirs of Warren Freer. Wellington: Victoria University Press.
• Logan, Mary (2008). Nordy, Arnold Nordmeyer: A Political Biography. Wellington: Steele Roberts.
• McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
• Taylor, B. S. (1974). The Expulsion of John A. Lee and its Effects on the Development of the NZ Labour Party (MA). Christchurch: University of Canterbury.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
• Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.