1949 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election explained

Election Name:1949 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election
Country:New Zealand
Flag Image:Lower Hutt COA.jpg
Type:Presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1947 Lower Hutt mayoral election
Previous Year:1947
Next Election:1950 Lower Hutt mayoral election
Next Year:1950
Election Date:2 March 1949
Turnout:8,822 (38.35%)
Candidate1:William Gregory
Party1:Lower Hutt Citizens' Association
Popular Vote1:4,437
Percentage1:50.29
Candidate2:Harry Horlor
Party2:New Zealand Labour Party
Popular Vote2:4,345
Percentage2:49.26
Mayor
Before Election:Ernst Peterson Hay
After Election:William Gregory

The 1949 Lower Hutt mayoral by-election was held to elect a successor to Ernst Peterson Hay who resigned as Mayor of Lower Hutt upon his appointment as a judge of the Supreme Court. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.

Background

Mayor Ernst Peterson Hay had been appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court of New Zealand and after joining the judiciary he resigned as mayor on 20 January 1949 triggering a by-election. Citizens' Association councillor, and deputy mayor since 1947, William Gregory was elected to replace Hay, opposed only by councillor Henry Valentine "Harry" Horlor of the Labour Party, who had contested the mayoralty once before in 1941.[1]

Results

Results by locality

Following table shows the detailed ballot results by the local polling booths:

Locality Gregory (Citizens') Horlor (Labour)
Votes % Votes %
R.S.A. Clubrooms 203 35.31
Taita North School38 25.67
Taita Central 50 18.24
Gordon St. Hall 60 30.16
Baptist Hall 167 34.93
Waddington School 30 17.76
Seddon St. 100 23.48
Knox Hall 293 37.38
Epuni School 219 44.69
203 41.95
Waterloo School 268 46.29
Horticultural Hall 579 33.84
St Stephen's Hall 206 31.99
Waiwhetu School 189 45.76
Gracefield School 72 23.16
Hutt Central School 320 40.87
Congregational Hall 117 39.80
Total 4,345 49.26

Gregory was sworn in as mayor on 14 March at the first council meeting after the election. His first act was to nominate a successor to himself as deputy mayor. He nominated Eric Rothwell while Horlor nominated councillor Bella Logie, arguing that the role of deputy should go to a councillor of widespread appeal citing that Logie had polled third highest at the previous council election while Rothwell had polled eighth. Gregory disagreed and was disappointed that the council would not acclaim his nomination unanimously. A secret ballot was conducted by council members which resulted in a tie. Gregory used his casting vote for Rothwell.[2]

Council by-election

As Gregory was a councillor at the time of his election he had to resign his council seat upon being sworn in as mayor at the first council meeting after the election. This triggered a second by-election for one council seat. The chairman of the Citizens' Association, Charles Hain, wrote to the Hutt Labour Representation Committee with a proposal to settle together on a suitable candidate and avoid a further election. After receiving no reply after 11 days the Citizens' Association nominated former councillor Herbert Frederick Muir for the vacancy.[3] The Labour Party nominated Wellington Education Board and Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Board member James McDonald, who had stood for the city council in 1944, as its candidate.[4]

The following table gives the election results:

References

Notes and References

  1. News: Hutt Mayoralty - Mr. Gregory Elected . . 3 March 1949 . 8 .
  2. News: Deputy-Mayor by Casting Vote . . 15 March 1949 . 5 .
  3. News: Coming Election . . 23 March 1949 . 7 .
  4. News: Council Election - Labour Candidate . . 30 March 1949 . 7 .