| Election Name: | 1956 Riccarton by-election |
| Country: | New Zealand |
| Flag Year: | 1956 |
| Type: | presidential |
| Previous Election: | 1954 New Zealand general election |
| Previous Year: | 1954 general |
| Next Election: | 1957 New Zealand general election |
| Next Year: | 1957 general |
| Election Date: | 27 October 1956 |
| Turnout: | 10,698 (66.28%) |
| Candidate1: | Mick Connelly |
| Party1: | New Zealand Labour Party |
| Popular Vote1: | 6,549 |
| Percentage1: | 61.45 |
| Candidate2: | Balfour Dingwall |
| Party2: | New Zealand National Party |
| Popular Vote2: | 2,691 |
| Percentage2: | 25.25 |
| Candidate3: | Wilfrid Owen |
| Party3: | Social Credit Party (New Zealand) |
| Popular Vote3: | 1,379 |
| Percentage3: | 12.94 |
| MP | |
| Before Election: | Angus McLagan |
| Before Party: | New Zealand Labour Party |
| After Party: | New Zealand Labour Party |
The Riccarton by-election 1956 was a by-election held in the electorate in Christchurch during the term of the 31st New Zealand Parliament following the death of the Labour Party incumbent. The by-election, held on 27 October 1956, was won by Mick Connelly, also of the Labour Party.
The by-election was caused by the death of incumbent MP Angus McLagan of the Labour Party on 4 September 1956. McLagan, who had represented the electorate since 1946, was hospitalised in early August 1956 suffering from a chest ailment before dying several weeks later.[1]
The Labour Party selected Mick Connelly as its candidate. He was the son of MLC Michael Connelly. McGuigan declined nomination, citing personal reasons, and Kirk withdrew from the selection contest prior to the selection meeting. Rotorua MP Ray Boord spoke at public meetings in Connelly's support.[3]
The recently formed Liberal Federation decided against contesting the seat. The party's executive felt that their party policy would not be finalised in time for the election date.[5]
A prominent issue in the by-election was the question of state-aid to private schools. Connelly and Dingwall opposed the notion, Yealands supported it while Owen sidestepped the issue stating that under Social Credit state-aid would not be necessary. There was also a hotly argued debate between the supporters of Connelly and Owen over whether Labour's first Prime Minister Michael Joseph Savage was a social crediter. The debate spilled over into newspapers, filling correspondence columns and letters to editors for over a week.[3]
The following table gives the election results:
Connolly was re-elected at the subsequent general election confirming him as the MP. He would represent it until 1969 when he transferred to the neighbouring electorate.