Patea (New Zealand electorate)
# Patea (New Zealand electorate)

Patea is a former New Zealand electorate in south Taranaki. It existed from 1893 to 1963.

## Population centres

In the 1892 electoral redistribution, population shift to the North Island required the transfer of one seat from the South Island to the north. The resulting ripple effect saw every electorate established in 1890 have its boundaries altered, and eight electorates were established for the first time, including Patea.

The electorate was based on the town of Patea, which used to have a freezing-works for the preparation of meat for export until 1982.

## History

This rural seat was first established for the 1893 election. George Hutchison was the first elected representative. He resigned in June 1901. Frederick Haselden won the 1 August 1901 by-election, but the seat was declared vacant in the following year. Walter Symes then held the electorate, from 1902 to the dissolution of Parliament in 1908.

The 1908 election was won by George Pearce. He held the electorate for three terms, until the dissolution of Parliament in 1919. He was succeeded by Walter Powdrell from 1919, who died partway through the term on 9 March 1921. Edwin Dixon won the 1921 by-election and held the electorate for the remainder of the term until 1922. James Randall Corrigan succeeded Dixon in 1922 and he held the electorate for one term until 1925. He was followed by Harold Dickie from 1925 to 1943.

William Sheat won the 1943 election plus the three subsequent elections. In 1954, Sheat failed to gain reselection after boundary changes as a National Party candidate. On 14 May of that year, he promptly resigned his seat and won it back in the 31 July 1954 by-election as an Independent, but subsequently did not stand in the 1954 general election.

The candidate chosen instead of Sheat, Roy Jack, was successful in 1954. He held the electorate until 1963, when it was abolished and replaced by the Waimarino electorate.

### Members of Parliament

Key  Independent  Liberal  Conservative  Reform  National

| Election | Winner |
| - | - |
| 1893 election | George Hutchison |
| 1896 election | George Hutchison |
| 1899 election | George Hutchison |
| July 1901 by-election | Frederick Haselden |
| November 1901 by-election | Frederick Haselden |
| 1902 election | Walter Symes |
| 1905 election | Walter Symes |
| 1908 election | George Pearce |
| 1911 election | George Pearce |
| 1914 election | George Pearce |
| 1919 election | Walter Powdrell |
| 1921 by-election | Edwin Dixon |
| 1922 election | James Randall Corrigan |
| 1925 election | Harold Dickie |
| 1928 election | Harold Dickie |
| 1931 election | Harold Dickie |
| 1935 election | Harold Dickie |
| 1938 election | Harold Dickie |
| 1943 election | William Sheat |
| 1946 election | William Sheat |
| 1949 election | William Sheat |
| 1951 election | William Sheat |
| 1954 by-election | William Sheat |
| 1954 election | Roy Jack |
| 1957 election | Roy Jack |
| 1960 election | Roy Jack |
| (Electorate abolished 1963) |||

## Election results

### 1954 election

1954 general election: Patea :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | National | Roy Jack | 5,547 | 45.06 |
| | Labour | Benjamin Winchcombe | 4,885 | 39.68 |
| | Social Credit | R E Dwason | 1,879 | 15.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 662 | 5.38 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,311 | 91.00 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,528 | |
| | National hold | National hold | Swing | |

### 1954 by-election

1954 Patea by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | William Sheat | 3,648 | 48.11 | -11.13 |
| | Labour | Benjamin Winchcombe | 3,630 | 47.87 | |
| | Independent Liberal | John Duggan | 305 | 4.02 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 0.24 | -18.24 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,583 | 50.12 | -38.13 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,131 | | |
| | Independent gain from National | Independent gain from National | Swing | | |

### 1951 election

1951 general election: Patea :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | National | William Sheat | 7,910 | 59.24 |
| | Labour | Frederick William Finer | 5,443 | 40.76 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,467 | 18.48 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 13,353 | 88.25 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,131 | |
| | National hold | National hold | Swing | |

### 1931 election

1931 general election: Patea :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Reform | Harold Dickie | 5,976 | 70.66 | +19.63 |
| | Labour | W G Simpson | 2,481 | 29.34 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,495 | 41.33 | +39.27 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 90 | 1.05 | +0.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,547 | 84.53 | -5.74 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,111 | | |

### 1928 election

1928 general election: Patea :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Reform | Harold Dickie | 4,511 | 51.03 |
| | United | James Douglas Hislop | 4,329 | 48.97 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 182 | 2.06 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 90 | 1.01 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,930 | 90.27 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,892 | |

### 1921 by-election

1921 Patea by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| | Reform | Edwin Dixon | 2,620 | 47.80 | |
| | Liberal | William Morrison | 2,315 | 42.23 | -24.37 |
| | Labour | Lew McIlvride | 546 | 9.96 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 305 | 5.56 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,481 | | |

### November 1901 by-election

November 1901 Patea by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Frederick Haselden | 1,890 | 52.37 |
| | Liberal | John Heslop | 1,719 | 47.63 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 4.74 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,609 | |

### July 1901 by-election

July 1901 Patea by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | Frederick Haselden | 961 | 38.63 |
| | Liberal | John Heslop | 960 | 38.59 |
| | Independent Liberal | Arthur Remington | 567 | 22.79 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.04 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,488 | |

### 1899 election

1899 general election: Patea :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Conservative | George Hutchison | 1,858 | 51.80 |
| | Liberal | Arthur Remington | 1,729 | 48.20 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 129 | 3.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,587 | 74.00 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,847 | |
