1967 Petone by-election

1967 Petone by-election

15 April 1967 (1967-04-15)
Turnout	12,977 (67.57%)
Candidate Fraser Colman Dick Martin Colin Whitmill Party Labour National Social Credit Popular vote 7,086 4,003 1,888 Percentage 54.60 30.84 14.54
MP before election Mick Moohan Labour Elected MP Fraser Colman Labour

The 1967 Petone by-election was a by-election for the electorate of Petone on 15 April 1967 during the 35th New Zealand Parliament. The by-election resulted from the death of the previous member the Hon Mick Moohan on 7 February 1967. The by-election was won by Fraser Colman, also of the Labour Party.

It was held the same day as another by-election in Fendalton.[1]

Background

All three of the main political parties in New Zealand fielded candidates to contest the seat. At the time Petone was an electoral hive of activity with the local parliamentary seat becoming the third concurrent by-election in the area. There were also by-elections occurring for the local Maori seat, Southern Maori, following the death of Sir Eruera Tirikatene and the Petone mayoralty after Mayor Ralph Love was disqualified on a technicality.[2]

Candidates

Labour

Petone was a safe seat for Labour and therefore there were no shortage of nominees. At least 17 candidates came forward in the seat. The most prominent of whom were:[3]

• Fraser Colman, the Labour Party's assistant general secretary and former president of the Boilermakers' Federation.
• John Jeffries, a lawyer and member of the Wellington City Council since 1962.
• Rolland O'Regan, a Wellington City Councillor since 1965 and former chairman of the Citizens' All Black Tour Association. He had contested Wellington Central in 1966.
• Olive Smuts-Kennedy, a lawyer and member of the Wellington City Council since 1965. She was Labour's candidate in Karori in 1960, Waimarino in 1963, Tauranga in 1966.
• Gerry Wall, a doctor who had contested Marlborough in 1966.

Both Bill Fox (a former MP who had lost Miramar in an upset in 1966) and Gerald O'Brien (a Wellington City Councillor and chairman of the Wellington Labour Representation Committee) were approached to stand, but declined. Fox cited his desire to retire and already having arrangements to move to Ōtaki, whilst O'Brien indicated that the demands of running his business would be incompatible with a parliamentary candidature.[3]

Eventually Colman was selected to stand as Labour's candidate.[4]

National

Richard Maunsell "Dick" Martin of Eastbourne was selected to contest the seat for the National Party. Martin had stood in Petone for National unsuccessfully in the 1960 general election where he had reduced Moohan's majority.[1]

Social Credit

The Social Credit Party chose Colin James Whitmill, a civil servant working for the Ministry of Justice, as its candidate. Whitmill had contested Petone at the previous election.[5]

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1967 Petone by-election[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Fraser Colman	7,086	54.60
	National	Dick Martin	4,003	30.84
	Social Credit	Colin Whitmill	1,888	14.54	+2.43
Majority			3,083	23.75
Turnout			12,977	67.57	−20.17
Registered electors			19,203
	Labour hold		Swing

Notes

1. "April 15 for two by-elections". The Evening Post. 3 March 1967.
2. "Main Parties to Contest Election". The Evening Post. 9 February 1967. p. 14.
3. "Labour Contenders Not Lacking For Petone Seat". The Evening Post. 10 February 1967. p. 22.
4. "Mr F Coleman to Contest Petone Seat". The Evening Post. 17 February 1967. p. 8.
5. "S.C. Candidate for Petone By-election". The Evening Post. 17 February 1967. p. 8.
6. Norton 1988, p. 317.

References

• Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. p. 317. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
• Wood, G. A. (1996) [1987]. Ministers and Members in the New Zealand Parliament (2 ed.). Dunedin: University of Otago Press. p. 113. ISBN 1 877133 00 0.