1961 Hurunui by-election

The Hurunui by-election 1961 was a by-election held in the electorate in North Canterbury during the term of the 33rd New Zealand Parliament, on 10 June 1961.

The by-election was caused by the death of incumbent MP William Gillespie of the National Party on 23 April 1961.

Candidates

Labour<br /> The Labour Party selected Arthur Alexander Adcock as its candidate. Adcock, a railway worker, was secretary of the local Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants branch and a member of the Waimairi County Council. He had contested the seat in 1960 against Gillespie.

National<br /> There were several names put forward as potential nominees for the National Party candidacy:

• Frederick Ashe, a farmer in Flaxton and Okuku, former member of the Eyre County Council who had contested the National nomination for in 1938
• William Murray Dailey, a farmer at Oxford and chairman of the Oxford County Council
• J. A. G. Fulton, a farmer at Loburn and former chairman of the Sefton and districts branch of Federated Farmers
• Clutha N. McKenzie, a farmer at Motunau and chairman of Waipara County Council (grandson of Sir Thomas Mackenzie)
• Lorrie Pickering, a farmer at Motunau and radio broadcaster who was National's candidate for in 1960
• Derek Quigley, a farmer at Waipara who was National's candidate for in 1960
• W. W. Wood, a land agent and bookshop proprietor at Rangiora who was a committee member of the Rangiora National Party

Ultimately Pickering was chosen to contest the seat.

Social Credit<br /> The Social Credit Party selected Malcolm Jack Clark, an engineer from Waikari, as its candidate for the seat.

Results

The following table gives the election results:

The by-election was won by Lorrie Pickering.

Notes

References