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Sydenham (New Zealand electorate)

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Sydenham was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, from 1881 to 1890 and again from 1946 to 1996. It had notable politicians representing it like Mabel Howard (the first female cabinet minister in New Zealand), Norman Kirk (who became Prime Minister while holding Sydenham) and Jim Anderton (a former Father of the House, who started his parliamentary career in Sydenham).

Population centres

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The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1875 for the 1875–1876 election. In the six years since, New Zealand's European population had increased by 65%. In the 1881 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of European representatives to 91 (up from 84 since the 1875–76 election). The number of Māori electorates was held at four. The House further decided that electorates should not have more than one representative, which led to 35 new electorates being formed, including Sydenham, and two electorates that had previously been abolished to be recreated. This necessitated a major disruption to existing boundaries.[1]

The 1941 New Zealand census had been postponed due to World War II, so the 1946 electoral redistribution had to take ten years of population growth and movements into account. The North Island gained a further two electorates from the South Island due to faster population growth. The abolition of the country quota through the Electoral Amendment Act, 1945 reduced the number and increased the size of rural electorates. None of the existing electorates remained unchanged, 27 electorates were abolished, 19 electorates were created for the first time, and eight former electorates were re-established, including Sydenham.[2]

This suburban electorate is in the southern suburbs of Christchurch including Sydenham.

History

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The electorate existed from 1881 to 1890 and then from the 1946 election to the 1996 election, the first mixed-member proportional (MMP) election.

The first MP for Sydenham was William White from 1881 to 1886. He resigned upon receiving medical advice.[3]

From 1886 to 1890, it was represented by Richard Molesworth Taylor.[4][5]

From 1946 to 1996, the electorate was always left leaning. In 1946, Mabel Howard was elected. She held the electorate until 1969, when the Labour Party introduced rules that forced her to retire. In 1947 she became New Zealand's first woman cabinet minister when she was made Minister of Health and Minister in charge of Child Welfare. She is remembered for waving two large pairs of bloomers in parliament in support of her successful campaign to have clothing sizes standardised.[6]

Howard was succeeded by Norman Kirk, who in 1969 shifted from the Lyttelton electorate to the safer Labour electorate of Sydenham. During his representation of Sydenham, he became Prime Minister. He died in office on 31 August 1974.[7]

John Kirk succeeded his father in a 1974 by-election. Kirk Jr. held the electorate for ten years until 1984. In July 1983, John Kirk announced that he would not seek the Labour Party's nomination for Sydenham in the 1984 election. In his place Labour selected Jim Anderton, the party president, whereupon Kirk (a strong David Lange supporter) declared that he would stand against the official Labour candidate as an independent. His continuing opposition to Anderton's selection resulted in the Labour Party's New Zealand Council suspending him from membership of the Labour Party. Kirk served out the remainder of his parliamentary career as an Independent MP. John Kirk left New Zealand in 1984 while still an MP for Sydenham, as he owed more than $280,000. He was arrested in the US and imprisoned, and then extradited to New Zealand, where he was charged under the Insolvency Act 1985. He was sentenced to four months' periodic detention.[8]

Anderton was successful in Sydenham in 1969 and started his long parliamentary career. He held the seat until the abolition of the electorate in 1996 then transferring to Wigram, and from 29 April 2009 until his retirement at the 2011 election he was Father of the House. While holding Sydenham, Anderton defected from the Labour Party to found the NewLabour Party in 1989, and was re-elected in the electorate in 1990. In 1991, NewLabour and several other parties formed the Alliance, a broad left-wing coalition. Anderton was elected for the Alliance in 1993.

Sydenham was abolished in 1996 and replaced by the Wigram electorate.

Members of Parliament

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Key

  Independent   Labour   NewLabour   Alliance

Election Winner
1881 election William White
1884 election
1886 by-election Richard Taylor
1887 election
(electorate abolished 1890–1946)
1946 election Mabel Howard
1949 election
1951 election
1954 election
1957 election
1960 election
1963 election
1966 election
1969 election Norman Kirk
1972 election
1974 by-election John Kirk1
1975 election
1978 election
1981 election
1984 election Jim Anderton2
1987 election
1990 election
1993 election
(Electorate abolished in 1996; see Wigram)

1 John Kirk became an independent in 1983.
2 Jim Anderton defected to New Labour in 1989, and co-founded the Alliance in 1991.

Election results

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1993 election

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1993 general election: Sydenham[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Alliance Jim Anderton 12,466 57.73 +9.35
Labour Greg Coyle 4,990 23.11
National Gerry Brownlee 3,209 14.86
NZ First Nicci Bergman 386 1.78
Christian Heritage Martha Alberts 346 1.60
McGillicuddy Serious Mark Dunick 110 0.50
Natural Law Carolyn Drake 62 0.28
Dominion Workers Clifford Mundy 12 0.05 −0.01
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 10 0.04 −0.14
Majority 7,476 34.62 +14.87
Turnout 21,591 86.12 +0.56
Registered electors 25,069

1990 election

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1990 general election: Sydenham[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
NewLabour Jim Anderton 9,821 48.38 −15.42
Labour Linda Constable 5,812 28.63
National Judith Harrington 4,369 21.52 −8.73
Democrats John Ring 134 0.66
McGillicuddy Serious Wayne Graham Graves 112 0.55
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 37 0.18 −0.29
Dominion Workers Clifford Mundy 13 0.06 −0.06
Majority 4,009 19.75 −13.79
Turnout 20,298 85.56 +1.08
Registered electors 23,722

1987 election

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1987 general election: Sydenham[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Anderton 12,241 63.80 +8.45
National Judith Harrington 5,805 30.25
Democrats Neville Minchington 794 4.13
NZ Party Ross Holliday 124 0.64
Wizard Party Patrick J. Wilkins 107 0.55
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 91 0.47 +0.26
Dominion Workers Clifford Mundy 24 0.12
Majority 6,436 33.54 −0.52
Turnout 19,186 84.48 −7.29
Registered electors 22,709

1984 election

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1984 general election: Sydenham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Jim Anderton 11,789 55.35
National Pat Bonisch 4,534 21.29
Social Credit Richard Bach 2,461 11.55 −12.36
NZ Party Alan Blackadder 2,324 10.91
Values Peter Scholes 142 0.66
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 46 0.21 −0.77
Majority 7,255 34.06
Turnout 21,296 91.77 +4.88
Registered electors 23,205

1981 election

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1981 general election: Sydenham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kirk 10,232 52.76 −6.43
Social Credit Richard Bach 4,638 23.91
National Warwick Sykes 4,330 22.32
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 191 0.98 +0.93
Majority 5,594 28.84 −7.43
Turnout 19,391 86.89 +23.82
Registered electors 22,315

1978 election

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1978 general election: Sydenham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kirk 11,487 59.19 +5.01
National Ian Wilson 4,807 24.77
Social Credit Terry Heffernan 2,463 12.69
Values Andy Lea 610 3.14 −3.87
Socialist Unity Robin Black 27 0.13
Economic Euthenics Michael "Tubby" Hansen 11 0.05 −0.14
Majority 7,040 36.27 +15.77
Turnout 19,405 63.07 16.12
Registered electors 30,764

1975 election

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1975 general election: Sydenham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kirk 10,086 54.18 −8.68
National Paul Matheson 6,269 33.68
Values Andy Lea 1,306 7.01 +0.55
Social Credit Joe Pounsford 898 4.82 −11.95
Pensioners' Party[13] Michael "Tubby" Hansen 36 0.19
Socialist Unity Ron O'Brien 18 0.09
Majority 3,817 20.50 −25.59
Turnout 18,613 79.19 +27.3
Registered electors 23,503

1974 by-election

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1974 Sydenham by-election[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kirk 6,664 62.86
Social Credit Joe Poundsford 1,778 16.77
Values Andy Lea 685 6.46
Independent National Saul Goldsmith 684 6.45
Independent David Crawford 321 3.02
Christian Independent Tom Fouhy 274 2.58
Socialist Action Kay Goodger 181 1.70
Liberal David Mitchell 13 0.12
Informal votes 101 0.95
Majority 4,886 46.09
Turnout 10,600 51.88 −37.69
Registered electors 20,428
Labour hold Swing

1972 election

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1972 general election: Sydenham[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Kirk 11,711 67.45 +3.90
National John Burn 4,722 27.19
Social Credit Alan Easterbrook 758 4.36
Independent Michael "Tubby" Hansen 67 0.38 −0.28
New Democratic John Bernard Elliot 62 0.35
Independent Michael Leeman-Smith 42 0.24
Majority 6,989 40.25 +4.04
Turnout 17,362 89.57 +2.92
Registered electors 19,382

1969 election

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1969 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Norman Kirk 10,575 63.55
National Peter Morrisey 4,549 27.33
Social Credit Joe Pounsford 1,285 7.72 −9.67
Independent Ian Andrew More 121 0.72
Independent Michael "Tubby" Hansen 110 0.66
Majority 6,026 36.21
Turnout 16,640 86.65 +3.95
Registered electors 19,203

1966 election

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1966 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 8,071 53.34 −8.25
National Helen Garrett 4,124 27.25
Social Credit Joe Pounsford 2,631 17.39 +6.46
Independent Tommy Armstrong 303 2.00
Majority 3,947 26.08 −8.04
Turnout 15,129 82.70 −3.05
Registered electors 18,293

1963 election

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1963 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 9,745 61.59 −1.07
National Derek Quigley 4,346 27.46 −1.17
Social Credit Joe Pounsford 1,730 10.93 +2.24
Majority 5,399 34.12 +0.10
Turnout 15,821 85.75 −0.90
Registered electors 18,450

1960 election

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1960 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 8,827 62.66 −6.17
National Derek Quigley 4,034 28.63
Social Credit Joe Pounsford 1,225 8.69
Majority 4,793 34.02 −9.45
Turnout 14,086 86.65 −3.90
Registered electors 16,255

1957 election

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1957 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 10,213 68.83 +7.10
National Oliver G. Moody 3,763 25.36
Social Credit George Lynne 860 5.79 −11.52
Majority 6,450 43.47 +2.72
Turnout 14,836 90.55 +2.63
Registered electors 16,384

1954 election

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1954 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 8,420 61.73 −6.02
National Alma Schumacher 2,860 20.96
Social Credit George Lynne 2,362 17.31
Majority 5,560 40.75 +5.27
Turnout 13,642 87.92 +1.79
Registered electors 15,515

1951 election

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1951 general election: Sydenham[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 8,406 67.75 −4.20
National Albert Hugh Stott 4,003 32.25
Majority 4,403 35.48 8.42
Turnout 12,409 86.13 −3.74
Registered electors 14,407

1949 election

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1949 general election: Sydenham[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 9,246 71.95 −3.25
National Oliver G. Moody 3,603 28.05
Majority 5,643 43.90 −6.50
Turnout 12,849 89.87 −0.23
Registered electors 14,296

1946 election

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1946 general election: Sydenham[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mabel Howard 10,063 75.20
National Ruric Hunter 3,317 24.80
Majority 6,746 50.40
Turnout 13,380 90.10
Registered electors 14,849

1887 election

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1887 general election: Sydenham[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Richard Taylor 766 66.15 +26.80
Independent John Crewes 392 33.85
Majority 374 32.30 +30.50
Turnout 1,158 57.02
Registered electors 2,031

1886 by-election

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1886 Sydenham by-election[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Richard Molesworth Taylor 438 39.35
Independent John Lee Scott 418 37.56 +1.10
Independent Samuel Paull Andrews 230 20.66
Independent S. G. Jolly 2 0.18
Rejected ballots 25 2.25
Turnout 1,113
Majority 20 1.80 −23.53

1884 election

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1884 general election: Sydenham[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William White 776 62.68 −3.12
Independent John Lee Scott 462 37.32
Majority 314 25.36 −24.24
Turnout 1,238 55.29 +2.92
Registered electors 2,239

1881 election

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1881 general election: Sydenham[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William White 662 65.81
Independent Charles Clark 163 16.20
Independent James Treadwell 111 11.03
Independent John Richard Andrew 70 6.96
Majority 499 49.60
Turnout 1,006 52.37
Registered electors 1,921

Notes

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  1. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 43–48.
  2. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 91–96.
  3. ^ "The Sydenham Electorate". The Star. No. 5580. 30 March 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  4. ^ a b "The Sydenham Election". The Star. No. 5617. 13 May 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  5. ^ "Sydenham". The Star. No. 6043. 27 September 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 4 May 2010.
  6. ^ McAloon, Jim. "Howard, Mabel Bowden". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  7. ^ Bassett, Michael. "Kirk, Norman Eric". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  8. ^ Stickley, Tony (24 August 2005). "Awatere sent straight to jail over fraud charges". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 22 October 2010.
  9. ^ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993. p. 105.
  10. ^ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990. p. 109.
  11. ^ Norton 1988, p. 352.
  12. ^ a b c d e f Norton 1988, p. 351.
  13. ^ "Significant drop in candidates as nominations close". The Press. Vol. CXV, no. 33994. 7 November 1975. p. 1. Retrieved 8 September 2022.
  14. ^ a b c d e f g Norton 1988, p. 350.
  15. ^ "The General Election, 1949". National Library. 1950. pp. 1–5, 8. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  16. ^ "The General Election, 1946". National Library. 1947. pp. 1–11, 14. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
  17. ^ Cooper, G. S. (1887). The General Election, 1887. National Library. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  18. ^ Cooper, G. S. (1884). The General Election, 1884. National Library. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  19. ^ Cooper, G. S. (1882). Votes Recorded for Each Candidate. Government Printer. p. 2. Retrieved 9 February 2021.

References

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  • 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: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
  • 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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