King Country (New Zealand electorate)

King Country was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It existed from 1972 to 1996 and was represented by Jim Bolger of the National Party for those 24 years.

Population centres

Since the 1969 election, the number of electorates in the South Island was fixed at 25, with continued faster population growth in the North Island leading to an increase in the number of general electorates. There were 84 electorates for the 1969 election,[1] and the 1972 electoral redistribution saw three additional general seats created for the North Island, bringing the total number of electorates to 87.[2] Together with increased urbanisation in Christchurch and Nelson, the changes proved very disruptive to existing electorates. [2] In the South Island, three electorates were abolished, and three electorates were newly created.[3] In the North Island, five electorates were abolished, two electorates were recreated, and six electorates were newly created (including King Country).[4]

The King Country electorate was formed from area that previously belonged to the Waimarino and Waitomo electorates, which were both abolished.[5] The King Country electorate covered a largely rural area with a dispersed population. It has no cities. The largest towns are Otorohanga and Te Kuiti.

History

The previous representative of the Waimarino electorate was Roy Jack who transferred to the enlarged Rangitikei electorate in 1972.[6] David Seath had held the Waitomo electorate since 1954 and he retired in 1972.[7] This gave Jim Bolger the opportunity to stand in the new King Country electorate when it was formed in 1972, and the area being a traditional stronghold for National, he won the election with ease.[8] Bolger became Prime Minister in 1990 while representing the King Country electorate.[9]

The electorate combined with the adjacent rural electorate of Taranaki in 1996 to form the Taranaki-King Country electorate for MMP.

Election results

Key

  National  

Election Winner
1972 election Jim Bolger
1975 election
1978 election
1981 election
1984 election
1987 election
1990 election
1993 election
(Electorate abolished in 1996; see Taranaki-King Country)

1993 election
1993 general election: King Country[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 8,396 51.8 -12.6
Labour Murray Simpson 3,890 24.0
Alliance Ian Herbert 3,518 21.7
Christian Heritage Mark Anthony Jones 539 3.3
McGillicuddy Serious Anand Hasyo 220 1.3
Natural Law Euan Frederick Williams 115 0.7
Majority 4,506 27.8 -17.2
Turnout 16,678

1990 election
1990 general election: King Country[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 10,406 64.4 +0.2
Labour Cameron Gordon 3,132 19.4
Green Laurence Cadman 1,368 8.4
NewLabour Dion Martin 497 3.0
Social Credit Mervyn Williamson 496 3.0
McGillicuddy Serious Craig Louis Simmons 107 0.6
Democrats Steven Wilton 77 0.4
Imperial British Conservative Kate McDonald 53
Majority 7,274 45.0 +10.1
Turnout 16,136

1987 election
1987 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 10,942 64.2 +9.1
Labour Leo Menefy 4,988 29.3
Democrats Wayne Campbell Robert Morris 1,115 6.5
Majority 5,954 34.9 +4.1
Turnout 20,143 86.4 -4.6

1984 election
1984 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 10,040 55.1 +6.0
Labour J E Simons 4,423 24.3
Social Credit Derek Mason 2,027 11.1 -24.6
NZ Party Graham Short 1,580 8.7
Values Peter Winter 139 0.8
Majority 5,617 30.8 +17.4
Turnout 20,477 91.0 +5.0

1981 election
1981 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 7,937 49.1 +4.5
Social Credit Derek Mason 5,779 35.7 +9.2
Labour Pai Tahere 2,460 15.2
Majority 2,158 13.4 -4.7
Turnout 18,878 86.0 +21.5

1978 election
1978 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 6,804 44.6 -11.5
Labour Leo Menefy 4,034 26.5
Social Credit Derek Mason 3,997 26.2 +15.4
Values R Azariah 409 2.7
Majority 2,770 18.1 -8.2
Turnout 23,726 64.5 -15.8

1975 election
1975 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 9,180 56.1 +8.1
Labour Thomas David Varnham 4,864 29.8
Social Credit Derek Mason 1,759 10.8 +1.7
Values Richard Louis Osborn 546 3.3
Majority 4,316 26.3 +17.9
Turnout 20,440 80.3 -7.2

1972 election
1972 general election: King Country[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
National Jim Bolger 7,107 48.0
Labour Brent Clifton Sakey 5,867 39.6
Social Credit Derek Mason 1,351 9.1
Liberal Reform Saxby John Telfer 191 1.3
Independent Richard Alan Soundy 185 1.3
New Democratic John William Norman 111 0.7
Majority 1,240 8.4
Turnout 17,014 87.5

Notes
  1. McRobie 1989, p. 111.
  2. McRobie 1989, p. 115.
  3. McRobie 1989, pp. 112, 116.
  4. McRobie 1989, pp. 111, 115.
  5. McRobie 1989, pp. 110, 114.
  6. Wilson 1985, p. 207.
  7. Wilson 1985, p. 233.
  8. Wilson 1985, p. 184.
  9. "NZ History online: Biographies – Jim Bolger". Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 21 May 2015.
  10. Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993.
  11. Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990.
  12. Norton 1988, pp. 262.

References
  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Ritchie, Dr Neville (2001). The Waikato War 1863–64. ISBN 0-478-22051-0.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 266. OCLC 154283103.
  • Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington. ISBN 0-475-11200-8.
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