Lyttelton by-election, 1935

Lyttelton by-election, 1935

24 July 1935

The Lyttelton seat in the House of Representatives. Election by simple majority using first-past-the-post voting. Turnout 67.43%   Candidate Terry McCombs Melville Lyons Party Labour United/Reform Popular vote 5,437 3,685 Percentage 58.65% 39.75%

Member before election Elizabeth McCombs Labour Elected Member Terry McCombs Labour

The Lyttelton by-election of 1935 was a by-election held on 24 July 1935 during the 24th New Zealand Parliament in the Lyttelton electorate. The electorate was won by Terry McCombs of the New Zealand Labour Party, succeeding his mother.

Selection process

Terrence McCombs's mother, Elizabeth McCombs had held the seat after winning it in a by-election in 1933. She died on 7 June 1935 after succumbing to illness.^[1]

The New Zealand Labour Party chose Terrence McCombs to stand for them. This was in some ways a surprise as many expected that Jim Thorn would be the candidate.^[2]

The United-Reform Coalition who were operating under the name "National Political Federation" selected Melville Lyons as their candidate. Lyons had a rural background as he was secretary of the New Zealand Sheepbreeders' Association at the time. In the New Zealand general election, 1925 he had stood for the New Zealand Reform Party in 1925 in Lyttelton against James McCombs. He was declared the winner with a victory of eight votes but the election court overturned this and McCombs won by just one vote.^[3]

The New Zealand Democrat Party's leader Albert Davy declined to stand a candidate in the by-election. He believed that the by-election was a waste of money given the close proximity to the 1935 general election.^[4]

Other candidates who chose to stand included Edward Hills^[5] and G.S Hamilton.

Results

Results of the by-election held on 13 September 1933 were:

Lyttelton by-election, 1933^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Elizabeth McCombs	6,344	61.66	11.89
	United/Reform	Frederick Freeman	3,675	35.72	-13.76
	Independent Labour	Edward Hills	269	2.61
Majority			2,669	25.94	+25.65
Turnout			10,288	74.98

Results of the by-election held on 24 July 1935 were:

Lyttelton by-election, 1935^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Labour	Terry McCombs	5,437	58.65
	United/Reform	Melville Lyons	3,685	39.75
	Independent Labour	Edward Hills	103	1.11
	Independent	G.S. Hamilton	46	0.50
Majority			1752	18.9	-6.75
Turnout			9,271	67.43[8]

Outcome

McCombs extended his majority to 2,645 at the general election later that year and held the seat until 1951. This meant that his family held the seat for 38 years ever since his father's win in the Lyttelton by-election of 1913.

References

1. "Mrs. E. R. McCombs M.P.". Evening Post. CXIX (133). 7 June 1935. p. 11. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
2. "The By-Election". Evening Post. CXIX (143). 19 June 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
3. "Lyttelton Seat". Evening Post. CXIX (144). 20 June 1935. p. 14. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
4. "Coming By-Election". Evening Post. CXIX (138). 13 June 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
5. "Lyttelton Seat". Evening Post. CXIX (148). 25 June 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
6. "Lyttelton Seat". The Evening Post. CXVI (70). 20 September 1933. p. 10. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
7. "Labour Wins". The Evening Post. CXX (22). 25 July 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
8. "Issue of Writ". The Evening Post. CXIX (149). 26 June 1935. p. 10. Retrieved 13 November 2011.