1959 Hamilton by-election

The Hamilton by-election 1959 was a by-election held in the Hamilton electorate in Hamilton in the Waikato during the term of the 32nd New Zealand Parliament, on 2 May 1959.

1959 Hamilton by-election

2 May 1959
Turnout	13,555 (78.40%)
Candidate Lance Adams-Schneider Ben Waters Party National Labour Popular vote 7,832 4,844 Percentage 57.89 35.81
Member before election Hilda Ross National Elected Member Lance Adams-Schneider National

Background

The by-election was caused by the death of incumbent MP Hilda Ross of the National Party on 6 March 1959.[1] The by-election was won by Lance Adams-Schneider, also of the National Party.[2]

Candidates

Labour

The Labour Party chose its Hamilton candidate for the previous three elections Ben Waters. Waters was a member of The Labour Party's national executive and had placed second to Ross in 1951, 1954 and 1957 where he slightly increased Labour share of the vote from 41.63 to 43.16 percent.[3]

National

The National Party selected Lance Adams-Schneider a member of the Taumarunui Borough Council. He had contested the Hutt electorate in 1957.[4]

Social Credit

Frederick Charles Roberts stood as the candidate for the Social Credit Party. In 1957 he stood for Social Credit in the Raglan electorate.[5]

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1959 Hamilton by-election[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	National	Lance Adams-Schneider	7,832	57.89
	Labour	Ben Waters	4,844	35.81	-7.35
	Social Credit	Frederick Charles Roberts	852	6.30
Majority			2,988	22.09
Informal votes			27	0.20
Turnout			13,555	78.40	-13.87
Registered electors			17,289
	National hold		Swing

Notes

1. Wilson 1985, p. 231.
2. Wilson 1985, p. 179.
3. Norton 1988, p. 233.
4. Norton 1988, p. 251.
5. Norton 1988, p. 323.

References

• Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.