The Waikato Electorate Over the Past 24 Years

Waikato Independent, Volume XLIII, Issue 6048, 22 November 1946, Page 9

The Waikato Electorate Over the Past 24 Years

THIS WEEK’S SIGNED ARTICLE, —

(By G. A. JAMES.)

The alterations in the electoral boundaries this year have resulted in a number of changes to the Waikato Seat, although the position is not affected to the same extent as in many of the other electorates in the Dominion. However, it is not so many years ago—24 to be exact —that the Waikato Electorate received a major change with the removal of the then Hamilton Borough to form an electorate of its own. At the 1922 election, the first representative of the Hamilton Seat was elected. While Hamilton was the new seat, it was Waikato which, more or lass, had to establish itself, as Mr J. A. Young (now Sir Alex Young), who had represented Waikato for a number of years contested and won the Hamilton seat, and new men in the field of politics lined up for the Waikato Stakes.

It was an unusual field, in that Mr J. T. Johnson, of Pirongia, and Mr A. G. Dent', of Kawhia, both stood as representatives ox the then Massey Government. Mr Johnson was tne selected party representative, but Mr Dent claimed' that he had not received a fair deal in the choosing of a candidate and- would not withdraw. This was all to the advantage of the Liberal candidate, Mr Fred. Lye, who had come from Taranaki five years previously and taken up a farm at Pukekura. The result was as follows: — F. Lye (Lib s .-Lab.) 2454 J. T. Johnson (G.) 2410 A. G. Dent (G.) 1556 Majority for Lye 44 Mr Lye admitted that it was the split voting that gained him an entry into Parliament. He proved a worthy representative of the Waikato, and served this farming electorate well for three terms, although not consecutively. At that election in 1922 there were 7846 names on the roll, and a total of 6450 votes were cast. This year there are 14,537 names on the Waikato roll. Before the next election took place in 1925, William Massey had died and Gordon Coates had taken over as the head of the Government. The party in power held sway, and at the election that year, Mr D. Stewart Reid, of Ngahinepouri was the Government representative. He was opposed by the sitting member, Mr Lye, and also an Independent, Mr L. C. S. Lawson. This was another close contest and the final voting figures were: — D. S. Reid (G.) 3916 F. Lye (National) 2998 L. C. S. Lawson (I.) 139 Majority for Reid 918 When the 1928 election came round there were changes in the political outlook, and Mr Lye raised his colours again as a representative of the United Party, against Mr Reid for the

existing Government and Mr P. Keegan, who represented the newly formed Country Party. The farmers were not too happy with the existing regime at this stage, and the voting was again split, with Mr Lye regaining his seat by the following figures: F. Lye (U.) 2749 D. S. Reid (GA 2710 ?. Keegan (C.) 1805

Majority for Lye

It was four years before the next election took place, and this time the Coates-Forbes administration had taken on a combined front to call themselves the Coalition-United party. Mr Lye was their representative and was opposed by Mr S. N. Ziman, who stood in the interests of the Country Party, which had gained some strength in the rural areas. Mr Ziman, a former Rhodes Scholar had high standing in the Cambridge district where he was farming, but he failed to win the seat, although he secured one of the best averages of any of his

party representatives. The result in 1932 was: — F. Lye (C.-U.) 4072 S. N. Ziman (C.P.) 3091

Majority for Lye

The political landslide of 1935 when Labour became the Government of the country, resulted in Mr Lye losing his seat again, this time to Mr Robert Coulter, of Te Aroha, the Labour candidate. The voting was split with Mr Ziman in the field once more in the interests of the Country Party, and Dr. H. E. Annett, of Matarigi, representing the newly-formed Democrats.

This was Mr Lye’s retirement from politics. 'When interviewed this week, Mr Lye recalled that he stated then that it was the farmers’ vote which gave power to Labour, and it would not be until the opposition regained all the country seats that there would be a change. “It seems to me that as a result of the treatment received by the primary producer in recent years, together with increased taxation, restrictions and regimentation, there is every indication of a National victory.” next week added Mr Lye. The voting at the 1935 election was:— R. Coulter (L.) 4253 F. Lye (N.) 3474 S. N. Ziman (C.P.) 1221 H. E. Annett (D.) 722 Majority for Coulter 784 At the 1938 election, Labour remained in power, but lost the Waikato electorate at what was then a record poll. This was Mr W. S. Goosman’s first entry into politics, and he gained majorities at 43 out of the 44 polling places in the electorate over Mr J. W. Neate, of Ngatea, who this year is contesting the Hauraki seat. In

Cambridge there were 913 votes for Goosman and 813 for Neate and at Leamington 237 for Goosman and 213 for Neate. That year Mr Coulter unsuccessfully contested the Hauraki seat, being beaten by Mr J. M. Allen, who was later killed in action. Mr Coulter won the Raglan seat in 1943 by 53 votes more than Mr R. J. Glasgow, the National candidate, but following Mr Coulter’s death this yeai, Mr Hallyburton Johnston regained Raglan for National at the by-elec-tion. The Waikato result in 1938 was: — W. S. Goosman (N.) 6009 J. W. Neate (L.) 3718 Majority for Goosman 2291 The 1943 election was notable for the number of candidates in the field and Waikato was no exception, with

Mr Goosman opposed by Messrs C. Croall (Labour), J. Penniket (Independent) and C. Burke (Democratic Labour). The contest was robbed of some of its interest in that Mr Goosman put the issue beyond doubt with only half the returns to hand. The final figures were:— , W. S. Goosman (N.) 6959 » C. Croal (L.) 2599 Zl J. W. Penniket (I.) 438 i C. Burke (D.L.) 308 , Majority for Goosman 4360 This year the election is a clear cut issue between National and Labour, and on the trend of voting in the past it would appear that the National Party will retain the seat. The boundary changes have made some difference and it is not likely that the majority will be as great as in 1943.