1931 New Zealand general election
1 (Māori) & 2 December (general) 1931
All 80 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives
41 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout714,511 (83.3%)
  First party Second party
 
Leader Gordon Coates Harry Holland
Party Reform Labour
Alliance United–Reform Coalition
Leader since 27 May 1925 27 August 1919
Leader's seat Kaipara Buller
Last election 27 seats, 34.8% 19 seats, 26.2%
Seats won 28 24
Seat change Steady 0 Increase 5
Popular vote 190,170 244,881
Percentage 26.6% 34.3%
Swing Decrease 9.3% Increase 8.1%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader George Forbes Harold Rushworth
Party United Country Party
Alliance United–Reform Coalition
Leader since 21 May 1930 November 1928
Leader's seat Hurunui Bay of Islands
Last election 27 seats, 29.8% 1 seat, 1.6%
Seats won 19 1
Seat change Decrease 8 Steady 0
Popular vote 120,801 16,710
Percentage 16.9% 2.3%
Swing Decrease 13.3% Increase 0.7%
Results of the election.
Prime Minister before election

George Forbes
United

 Subsequent Prime Minister

George Forbes
United

The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the United–Reform Coalition Government, although the opposition Labour Party made some minor gains despite tallying more votes than any other single party.

Background

In the 1928 election, the Reform Party won 28 seats to the United Party's 27 seats. Shortly after the election the Reform Party lost a vote of no-confidence and the United Party managed to form a government, the United Government, with the support of the Labour Party, with governing Reform Party going into the opposition. In 1931, however, the agreement between United and Labour collapsed due to differing opinions on how to counter the Great Depression. The Reform Party, fearing that the Depression would give Labour a substantial boost, reluctantly agreed to form a coalition with United to avert elections. By forming a coalition, United and Reform were able to blunt Labour's advantage, ending the possibility of the anti-Labour vote being split.

The election

The date for the main 1931 elections was 2 December, a Wednesday. Elections to the four Māori electorates were held the day before. 874,787 people were registered to vote, and there was a turnout of 83.3%. This turnout was below average for the time period.

The number of seats was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902.[1] However, in four electorates (Bay of Plenty, Oroua, Pahiatua, Waitomo) there was only one candidate.[2][3]

Results

Crowd on intersection of Willis and Mercer Streets in Wellington, outside the offices of The Evening Post, awaiting the results of the 1931 general election.

The 1931 election saw the recently formed governing coalition retain office as the United–Reform Coalition, winning fifty-one seats, including four independents. This was a drop of four seats from what the two parties had won in the previous elections, but was still considerably better than many had expected given the economic situation. The Labour Party won twenty-four seats, a gain of five. In the popular vote (including pro-coalition independents), the coalition won 54.0% of the vote, down from the 66.1% that the two parties had won previously. Labour won 34.3%. The only other party to gain a place in Parliament was the Country Party, which won a single seat. Four other independents were elected. Four candidates were elected unopposed: Walter Broadfoot in Waitomo, John Cobbe in Oroua, Alfred Ransom in Pahiatua, and Kenneth Williams in Bay of Plenty.[4]

Party totals

Winning party by electorate.
Election results
Party Leader Votes Percentage Seats change
Reform Gordon Coates 190,170 26.60 54.03 28 ±0
United George Forbes 120,801 16.90 19 -8
Independents (in support of Coalition) 75,069 10.53 4 +3
Labour Harry Holland 244,867 34.27 24 +5
Country Party Harold Rushworth 16,710 2.34 1 ±0
Ratana 7,154 1.00 0 ±0
Independents 66,894 8.36 4 -1
Total 714,511 100% 80

Votes summary

Popular Vote
All Coalition Parties
 
 54.03%
Labour
 
 34.27%
Coalition Reform
 
 26.60%
Coalition United
 
 16.90%
Country Party
 
 2.34%
Coalition Independent
 
 10.53%
Independent
 
 9.36%
Parliament seats
All Coalition Parties
 
 63.75%
Coalition Reform
 
 35.00%
Labour
 
 30.00%
Coalition United
 
 23.75%
Country Party
 
 1.25%
Coalition Independent
 
 5.00%
Independent
 
 5.00%

The following table shows the detailed results:

Key

  Reform   Labour   United   Country Party   Independent Liberal   Ratana   Independent

Electorate results for the 1931 New Zealand general election[5][6]
Electorate Incumbent Winner Majority Runner up
General electorates
Auckland Central Bill Parry 3,793[7] Harold Penfound Congdon
Auckland East James Donald Bill Schramm 2,256[8] Harold Percy Burton
Auckland Suburbs Rex Mason 1,223 Richard Herbert Marryatt[9]
Auckland West Michael Joseph Savage 4,517 Hugh Ross Mackenzie[9]
Avon Dan Sullivan 3,039 Harben Robert Young
Awarua Philip De La Perrelle 2,148 Norman McIntyre[10]
Bay of Islands Harold Rushworth 1,209 Allen Bell
Bay of Plenty Kenneth Williams Uncontested
Buller Harry Holland 3,631 John Menzies[11]
Central Otago William Bodkin 2,516 Charles Todd
Chalmers Alfred Ansell 172 Norman Hartley Campbell
Christchurch East Tim Armstrong 3,206 George Frederick Allen
Christchurch North Henry Holland 2,077 Elizabeth McCombs
Christchurch South Ted Howard 2,798[12] Charlie McCully[13]
Clutha Fred Waite Peter McSkimming 1,530 Fred Waite
Dunedin Central Charles Statham 262 Peter Neilson
Dunedin North Jim Munro 524 John McCrae[14][15]
Dunedin South William Taverner Fred Jones 3,644 William Taverner
Dunedin West William Downie Stewart Jr 924 John Gilchrist
Eden Arthur Stallworthy 1,270[12] Bill Anderton
Egmont Charles Wilkinson 1,308 F. Gawith
Franklin Jack Massey 2,457 Harry Oswald Mellsop[16]
Gisborne Douglas Lysnar David Coleman 317[12] Douglas Lysnar
Grey Lynn John Fletcher John A. Lee 3,242[7] John Fletcher
Hamilton Alexander Young 3,072[17] Hubert Beebe
Hauraki Walter William Massey 2,750[7] Charles Robert Petrie
Hawke's Bay Hugh Campbell 2,259 Ted Cullen[18]
Hurunui George Forbes 3,953 R. J. Logan[19]
Hutt Walter Nash 2,823 James Kerr[nb 1]
Invercargill Vincent Ward James Hargest 508 William McChesney
Kaiapoi Richard Hawke 1,414 John Archer[20]
Kaipara Gordon Coates 2,084 Albert Edward Robinson[21]
Lyttelton James McCombs 32 Frederick Willie Freeman[22]
Manawatu Joseph Linklater 2,246 Lorrie Hunter
Manukau Bill Jordan 3,394[12] Stanley Rickards[9]
Marsden Alfred Murdoch 2,942 Jim Barclay
Masterton George Sykes 1,951 Peter Butler
Mataura David McDougall 943 Thomas Golden[23]
Mid-Canterbury David Jones Jeremiah Connolly 136[24] David Jones
Motueka George Black 517 Keith Holyoake
Napier Bill Barnard 1,456 John Butler
Nelson Harry Atmore 100 Herbert Everett[25]
New Plymouth Sydney George Smith 3,472 William Sheat
Oamaru John Andrew MacPherson 1,046[12] John Kirkness
Oroua John Cobbe Uncontested
Otaki William Hughes Field 1,321 Jim Thorn
Pahiatua Alfred Ransom Uncontested
Palmerston Jimmy Nash 1,245 Joe Hodgens
Parnell Bill Endean 4,821[7] John William Yarnall
Patea Harold Dickie 3,495 W. G. Simpson
Raglan Lee Martin Stewart Reid 806 Lee Martin
Rangitikei James Thomas Hogan Alexander Stuart 15 James Thomas Hogan
Riccarton Bert Kyle 589 Archibald Albany McLachlan[nb 2]
Roskill George Munns Arthur Shapton Richards 171[7] William John Holdsworth[26]
Rotorua Cecil Clinkard 57 Alexander Moncur
Stratford William Polson 1,518 J W McMillan[nb 3]
Tauranga Charles MacMillan 658 Bill Sullivan[nb 4]
Temuka Thomas Burnett 1,237 Thomas Herbert Langford
Thames Albert Samuel 464 John Sommerville Montgomerie[28]
Timaru Clyde Carr 820 Herbert N. Armstrong[29][nb 5]
Waikato Frederick Lye 981 Solomon Netheim Ziman[nb 6]
Waimarino Frank Langstone 591 William Henry Wackrow
Waipawa Albert Jull[nb 7] 386 John Davies Ormond, Jr.[nb 8]
Wairarapa Thomas McDonald Alex McLeod 616 Thomas McDonald
Wairau Edward Healy 1,424 William Girling
Waitaki John Bitchener 885 Alexander McLean Paterson[31]
Waitemata Alexander Harris 2,378[7] Arthur Osborne[32]
Waitomo Walter Broadfoot Uncontested
Wallace Adam Hamilton 2,842 Peter Gilfedder[33]
Wanganui Bill Veitch 590 Bill Rogers
Wellington Central Peter Fraser 2,471[34] Robert Darroch
Wellington East Bob Semple 593[34] Thomas Forsyth
Wellington North Charles Chapman 1,061[34] George Troup
Wellington South Robert McKeen 2,659 Will Appleton[35]
Wellington Suburbs Robert Wright 2,570[34] Tom Brindle
Westland James O'Brien 1,121 John Greenslade
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori Āpirana Ngata 3,211 Pita Moko
Northern Maori Taurekareka Henare 1,188 Paraire Karaka Paikea
Southern Maori Tuiti Makitanara 19 Eruera Tirikatene
Western Maori Taite Te Tomo 1,436 Toko Ratana

Table footnotes:

  1. ↑ For some biographical details of James Kerr refer to his father's article
  2. ↑ For some biographical details of McLachlan refer to his grandfather's article
  3. ↑ McMillan claimed to stand for the Reform Party, but he was not the official candidate, as the United–Reform Coalition endorsed William Polson, who ran as an Independent[27]
  4. ↑ Bill Sullivan was a member of the United Party, but Charles MacMillan was the official candidate of the United–Reform Coalition, hence Sullivan stood as an Independent
  5. ↑ The Reform and United parties could not agree on an official coalition candidate for the Timaru electorate, so neither Armstrong (Reform) nor Herbert Hall (United) were official candidates, and many sources show them as Independents
  6. ↑ Ziman was the father of John Ziman[30]
  7. ↑ Jull was the official candidate of the United–Reform Coalition
  8. ↑ Ormond was the son of John Davies Ormond and the father of John Ormond
  • Four of the eight independent MPs (Connolly, Hargest, McSkimming, and Polson) were aligned with the United–Reform Coalition, and are not classified as independents by some sources.

Notes

  1. ↑ "General elections 1853–2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2011.
  2. ↑ Bassett 1982, p. 67.
  3. ↑ Wilson 1985, p. 286.
  4. ↑ "Nominations Close". Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 123. 20 November 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 3 August 2013.
  5. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 87f.
  6. ↑ Skinner 1932, pp. 1–10.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Election Counts". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 291. 9 December 1931. p. 9. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Recount of Votes". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 289. 7 December 1931. p. 9. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  9. 1 2 3 "Parliamentary Elections". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 275. 20 November 1931. p. 5. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Page 4 Advertisements Column 4". Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser. Vol. LV, no. 5636. 1 December 1931. p. 4. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Buller Electorate". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 127. 25 November 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 "Election Results". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 290. 8 December 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  13. ↑ "Straight Grained". New Zealand Truth. No. 1197. 8 November 1928. p. 6. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "John McCrae". Auckland War Memorial Museum. Retrieved 9 July 2022 – via Online Cenotaph.
  15. ↑ "Dunedin North". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 264. 7 November 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXVIII, no. 21053. 11 December 1931. p. 22. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Electors' Choice". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 286. 3 December 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 1 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "A Coalition Certainty". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 120. 17 November 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 29 June 2014.
  19. ↑ "In Canterbury". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 281. 27 November 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 16 November 2014.
  20. ↑ Gustafson, Barry. "Archer, John Kendrick". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
  21. ↑ "Notice of Nominations received and Polling Places appointed". Rodney and Otamatea Times, Waitemata and Kaipara Gazette. 25 November 1931. p. 7. Retrieved 21 November 2014.
  22. ↑ "Notice of Nominations Received and Polling Places Appointed". Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser. Vol. LV, no. 5634. 24 November 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
  23. ↑ "Mr McDougall Opposed". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 120. 17 November 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "Public Notices". Ellesmere Guardian. Vol. LII, no. 99. 11 December 1931. p. 1. Retrieved 24 November 2013.
  25. ↑ "Opposing Mr Atmore". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 110. 5 November 1931. p. 10. Retrieved 27 November 2014.
  26. ↑ "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXVIII, no. 21051. 9 December 1931. p. 18. Retrieved 2 December 2014.
  27. ↑ "Stratford Electorate". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LXVIII, no. 21029. 13 November 1931. p. 11. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  28. ↑ "Reform Triumph". The Northern Advocate. 18 June 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 15 December 2014.
  29. ↑ Kerr, Stephen (2003). "Good Old Clyde": Clyde Carr M.P., Timaru and the Art of Incumbency, 1928–1962 (PDF) (Thesis). University of Canterbury. p. 66. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  30. ↑ "Ziman, John Michael" (PDF). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 16 December 2014.
  31. ↑ Facer, Wayne Arthur Pickard (2012). "In New Zealand: Timaru 1923–1925". William Jellie: Unitarian, Scholar and Educator (PDF) (M.Phil.). Massey University. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
  32. ↑ "Parliamentary Elections". Auckland Star. Vol. LXII, no. 275. 20 November 1931. Retrieved 29 October 2014.
  33. ↑ "Declaration of Result of Poll for the Electoral District of Wallace". Otautau Standard and Wallace County Chronicle. Vol. XXVII, no. 1349. 15 December 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  34. 1 2 3 4 "Declaration of Result of Poll for the Electoral District of Wellington Suburbs". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 140. 10 December 1931. p. 2. Retrieved 5 March 2014.
  35. ↑ "Coalition Selection". The Evening Post. Vol. CXII, no. 117. 13 November 1931. p. 8. Retrieved 17 March 2015.

References

  • Bassett, Michael (1982). Three Party Politics in New Zealand 1911-1931. Auckland: Historical Publications. ISBN 0-86870-006-1.
  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Skinner, W. A. G. (1932). The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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