Manawatu was a parliamentary electorate

New Zealand electorates

An electorate is a voting district for elections to the Parliament of New Zealand. In informal discussion, electorates are often called seats. The most formal description, electoral district, is rarely seen outside of electoral legislation. Before 1996, all Members of Parliament were directly...

 in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of New Zealand that existed during three periods between 1871 and 1996.

History

The electorate existed during three periods: from 1871 to 1890, 1896 to 1911, and 1919 to 1996.

The first representative was Walter Woods Johnston

Walter Woods Johnston

Walter Woods Johnston was a 19th century Member of Parliament in the Manawatu region of New Zealand.He was born in London and came to New Zealand as a young boy, arriving on 3 January 1843 on the Prince of Wales in Wellington with his parents, his younger brother Sydney and a sister who was born...

, who was elected at the 1871 general election. He won the three subsequent general elections, and retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1884. Johnston was succeeded by Douglas Hastings Macarthur

Douglas Hastings Macarthur

Douglas Hastings Macarthur was a 19th century independent conservative Member of Parliament in the Manawatu region of New Zealand....

 in the 1884 general election

New Zealand general election, 1884

The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...

. Macarthur held the electorate for two terms until 1890, when it was abolished. He successfully contested Rangitikei

Rangitikei (New Zealand electorate)

rightRangitīkei is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. The current MP for Rangitīkei is Simon Power of the National Party...

 in the 1890 general election

New Zealand general election, 1890

The New Zealand general election of 1890 was one of New Zealand's most significant. It marked the beginning of party politics in New Zealand with the formation of the First Liberal government, which was to enact major welfare, labour and electoral reforms, including giving the vote to women.It was...

.

The electorate was recreated in for the 1896 general election

New Zealand general election, 1896

The New Zealand general election of 1896 was held on Wednesday, 4 December in the general electorates, and on Thursday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 13th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, when John Stevens

John Stevens (New Zealand)

John Stevens was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He represented the Rangitikei electorate from 1881 to 1884 when he was defeated, and then from 1893 to 1896....

 got elected for the Liberal Party

New Zealand Liberal Party

The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party...

. He represented it until the 1902 general election

New Zealand general election, 1902

The New Zealand general election of 1902 was held on Tuesday, 25 November in the general electorates, and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 15th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, when he was defeated by Job Vile

Job Vile

Job Vile was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He represented the Manawatu electorate from 1902 to 1905, when he was defeated. He died on the election day.-References:...

. Vile lost the electorate again at the 1905 general election

New Zealand general election, 1905

The New Zealand general election of 1905 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 16th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

 to Stevens, who held it until 1908. In the 1908 general election

New Zealand general election, 1908

The New Zealand general election of 1908 was held on Tuesday, 17 November, 24 November and 1 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 2 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 17th session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, Stevens was defeated by the conservative politician Edward Newman in a second ballot

Two-round system

The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...

. The electorate was abolished in 1911.

The electorate was recreated in for the 1919 general election, when John Stevens was once again successful. He held the electorate for one term. He was succeeded by Joseph Linklater

Joseph Linklater

Joseph Linklater was a Reform Party Member of Parliament.He was elected to the Manawatu electorate in the 1922 general election after Edward Newman retired, and held the seat until he was defeated by Labour in 1935....

 in the 1922 general election

New Zealand general election, 1922

The New Zealand general election of 1922 was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament...

. Linklater held the electorate for four parliamentary terms until 1935. In the 1935 general election

New Zealand general election, 1935

The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...

, he was defeated by Labour

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

's Clifford Hunter

Clifford Hunter

Clifford Lorrie Hunter was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Manawatu electorate from 1935. In 1938 he was defeated by National’s John Cobbe....

, who held the electorate for one term.

Hunter lost the electorate in the 1938 general election

New Zealand general election, 1938

The 1938 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 26th term. It resulted in the governing Labour Party being re-elected, although the newly-founded National Party gained a certain amount of ground.-Background:The Labour Party had won...

 to National

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

's John Cobbe

John Cobbe

John George Cobbe was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, United Party and the National Party. He was born in Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in 1886....

, who retired in 1943. He was succeeded by Matthew Oram

Matthew Oram

Sir Matthew Henry Oram MBE was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was the 13th Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1950 to 1957....

 until 1957.

• William Blair Tennent
  William Blair Tennent
  William Blair Tennent CBE , known as Blair Tennent, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party and a cabinet minister.-Early life:...
  
   1957-66
• Les Gandar
  Les Gandar
  Leslie Walter Gandar was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the seat of Manawatu from 1966 to 1972, then Ruahine from 1972 to 1978. He was defeated in 1978 for the new seat of Rangitikei by Bruce Beetham. Beetham had won the seat in the Rangitikei by-election, held...
  
   1966-72
• Allan McCready
  Allan McCready
  Allan McCready was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Otaki electorate in Parliament from 1960 to 1972, then the Manawatu electorate from 1972 to 1978, when he retired....
  
   1972-78
• Michael Cox
  Michael Cox (Politician)
  Michael Ernest Christopher Cox, , was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Manawatu electorate in Parliament from 1978 to 1987, when he was defeated by David Robinson...
  
   1978-87
• David Robinson 1987-90
• Hamish MacIntyre
  Hamish MacIntyre
  Hamish MacIntyre was a New Zealand politician who at various times represented the National Party, Liberal Party, and the Alliance. His father was the Rt Hon Duncan MacIntyre, who was Deputy Prime Minister to Muldoon in the Third National Government, and he was born in Waipukurau.He was elected to...
  
   1990-93
• Jill White
  Jill White
  Jacqueline Jill White, known as Jill White is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician.-Local body politics:White was a councillor on Palmerston North City Council from 1983–1992. This was followed by some years in Parliament, a role which she resigned from in 1998 to become Mayor of...
  
   1993-96

Members of Parliament

Manawatu was represented by 16 Members of Parliament.

1871 to 1890

From 1871 to 1890, Manawatu was represented by two Members of Parliament.

Election	Winner
1871 election		Walter Woods Johnston Walter Woods Johnston Walter Woods Johnston was a 19th century Member of Parliament in the Manawatu region of New Zealand.He was born in London and came to New Zealand as a young boy, arriving on 3 January 1843 on the Prince of Wales in Wellington with his parents, his younger brother Sydney and a sister who was born...  (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... )
1876 election
1879 election New Zealand general election, 1879 The New Zealand general election of 1879 was held between 28 August and 15 September to elect a total of 88 MPs to the 7th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 1 and 8 September. A total number of 82,271 voters turned out to vote.The election came about when George...
1881 election New Zealand general election, 1881 The New Zealand general election of 1881 was held 9 December to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 8th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 8 December...
1884 election New Zealand general election, 1884 The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...		Douglas Hastings Macarthur Douglas Hastings Macarthur Douglas Hastings Macarthur was a 19th century independent conservative Member of Parliament in the Manawatu region of New Zealand....  (Independent)
1887 election New Zealand general election, 1887 The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes were cast....

1896 to 1911

From 1896 to 1911, Manawatu was represented by three Members of Parliament.

Election	Winners
1896 election New Zealand general election, 1896 The New Zealand general election of 1896 was held on Wednesday, 4 December in the general electorates, and on Thursday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 13th session of the New Zealand Parliament...		John Stevens John Stevens (New Zealand) John Stevens was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He represented the Rangitikei electorate from 1881 to 1884 when he was defeated, and then from 1893 to 1896....  (Liberal New Zealand Liberal Party The New Zealand Liberal Party is generally regarded as having been the first real political party in New Zealand. It governed from 1891 until 1912. Out of office, the Liberals gradually found themselves pressed between the conservative Reform Party and the growing Labour Party... )
1899 election New Zealand general election, 1899 The New Zealand general election of 1899 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Tuesday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 14th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 373,744 voters turned out to...
1902 election New Zealand general election, 1902 The New Zealand general election of 1902 was held on Tuesday, 25 November in the general electorates, and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 15th session of the New Zealand Parliament...		Job Vile Job Vile Job Vile was an independent conservative Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He represented the Manawatu electorate from 1902 to 1905, when he was defeated. He died on the election day.-References:...  (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... )
1905 election New Zealand general election, 1905 The New Zealand general election of 1905 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 16th session of the New Zealand Parliament...		John Stevens John Stevens (New Zealand) John Stevens was a Liberal Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand.He represented the Rangitikei electorate from 1881 to 1884 when he was defeated, and then from 1893 to 1896....  (2nd period; Liberal)
1908 election New Zealand general election, 1908 The New Zealand general election of 1908 was held on Tuesday, 17 November, 24 November and 1 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 2 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 17th session of the New Zealand Parliament...		Edward Newman (Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... )

1919 to 1996

From 1919 to 1996, Manawatu was represented by a further eleven Members of Parliament.

Election	Winner
1919		Edward Newman (2nd period; Reform New Zealand Reform Party The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party... )
1922 New Zealand general election, 1922 The New Zealand general election of 1922 was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament...		Joseph Linklater Joseph Linklater Joseph Linklater was a Reform Party Member of Parliament.He was elected to the Manawatu electorate in the 1922 general election after Edward Newman retired, and held the seat until he was defeated by Labour in 1935....  (Reform New Zealand Reform Party The Reform Party, formally the New Zealand Political Reform League, was New Zealand's second major political party, having been founded as a conservative response to the original Liberal Party... )
1925 New Zealand general election, 1925 The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
1928 New Zealand general election, 1928 The New Zealand general election of 1928 was held on Tuesday, 13 November in the Māori electorates, and on Wednesday, 14 November in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 23rd session of the New Zealand Parliament...
1931 New Zealand general election, 1931 The 1931 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 24th term. It resulted in the newly formed coalition between the United Party and the Reform Party remaining in office as the Liberal-Reform Government, although the opposition Labour...
1935 New Zealand general election, 1935 The 1935 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 25th term. It resulted in the Labour Party's first electoral victory, with Michael Joseph Savage becoming the first Labour Prime Minister...		Clifford Hunter Clifford Hunter Clifford Lorrie Hunter was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party.He represented the Manawatu electorate from 1935. In 1938 he was defeated by National’s John Cobbe....  (Labour New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935.... )
1938 New Zealand general election, 1938 The 1938 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 26th term. It resulted in the governing Labour Party being re-elected, although the newly-founded National Party gained a certain amount of ground.-Background:The Labour Party had won...		John Cobbe John Cobbe John George Cobbe was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party, United Party and the National Party. He was born in Ireland, and arrived in New Zealand in 1886....  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1943 New Zealand general election, 1943 The 1943 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 27th term. With the onset of World War II, elections were initially postponed, but it was eventually decided to hold a general election in September 1943, around two years after it...		Matthew Oram Matthew Oram Sir Matthew Henry Oram MBE was a New Zealand politician of the National Party. He was the 13th Speaker of the House of Representatives, from 1950 to 1957....  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1946 New Zealand general election, 1946 The 1946 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 28th term. It saw the governing Labour Party re-elected, but by a substantially narrower margin than in the three previous elections...
1949 New Zealand general election, 1949 The 1949 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 29th term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the opposition National Party...
1951 New Zealand general election, 1951 The 1951 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 30th term. It saw the governing National Party remain in office, increasing its lead over the opposition Labour Party.-Background:...
1954 New Zealand general election, 1954 The 1954 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 31st term. It saw the governing National Party remain in office, but with a slightly reduced majority...
1957 New Zealand general election, 1957 The 1957 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 32nd term. It saw the governing National Party narrowly defeated by the Labour Party...		William Blair Tennent William Blair Tennent William Blair Tennent CBE , known as Blair Tennent, was a New Zealand politician of the National Party and a cabinet minister.-Early life:...  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1960 New Zealand general election, 1960 The 1960 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 33rd term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the National Party, putting an end to the short second Labour government.-Background:...
1963 New Zealand general election, 1963 The 1963 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 34th term. The results were almost identical to those for the previous election, and the governing National Party remained in office....
1966 New Zealand general election, 1966 The 1966 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 35th term. It saw the governing National Party win a third consecutive term in office...		Les Gandar Les Gandar Leslie Walter Gandar was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the seat of Manawatu from 1966 to 1972, then Ruahine from 1972 to 1978. He was defeated in 1978 for the new seat of Rangitikei by Bruce Beetham. Beetham had won the seat in the Rangitikei by-election, held...  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1969 New Zealand general election, 1969 The 1969 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 36th term. It saw the governing National Party win a fourth consecutive term, under Prime Minister Keith Holyoake.-The Election:...
1972 New Zealand general election, 1972 The New Zealand general election of 1972 was held to elect MPs to the 37th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Labour Party, led by Norman Kirk, defeated the governing National Party.-Background:...		Allan McCready Allan McCready Allan McCready was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Otaki electorate in Parliament from 1960 to 1972, then the Manawatu electorate from 1972 to 1978, when he retired....  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1975 New Zealand general election, 1975 The 1975 New Zealand general election was held to elect MPs to the 38th session of the New Zealand Parliament. It was the first election in New Zealand where 18-20 year olds and all permanent residents of New Zealand were eligible to vote, although only citizens were able to be...
1978 New Zealand general election, 1978 The 1978 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to elect the 39th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Robert Muldoon, retain office, although the opposition Labour Party managed to win the largest share of the vote...		Michael Cox Michael Cox (Politician) Michael Ernest Christopher Cox, , was a New Zealand politician of the National Party.He represented the Manawatu electorate in Parliament from 1978 to 1987, when he was defeated by David Robinson...  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... )
1981 New Zealand general election, 1981 The 1981 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 40th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Robert Muldoon, win a third term in office, although the opposition Labour Party, led by Bill Rowling, actually won the largest share of...
1984 New Zealand general election, 1984 The 1984 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 41st New Zealand Parliament. It marked the beginning of the Fourth Labour Government, with David Lange's Labour Party defeating long-serving Prime Minister Robert Muldoon of the National Party. It was also the...
1987 New Zealand general election, 1987 The 1987 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the 43rd sitting of the New Zealand Parliament. The governing New Zealand Labour Party, led by Prime Minister David Lange, was re-elected for a second term, although the Opposition National Party made gains...		David Robinson (Labour New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935.... )
1990 New Zealand general election, 1990 The 1990 New Zealand general election was held on 27 October to determine the composition of the 43rd New Zealand parliament. The governing Labour Party was defeated, ending its controversial two terms in office...		Hamish MacIntyre Hamish MacIntyre Hamish MacIntyre was a New Zealand politician who at various times represented the National Party, Liberal Party, and the Alliance. His father was the Rt Hon Duncan MacIntyre, who was Deputy Prime Minister to Muldoon in the Third National Government, and he was born in Waipukurau.He was elected to...  (National New Zealand National Party The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:... , then Alliance)
1993 New Zealand general election, 1993 The 1993 New Zealand general election was held on 6 November 1993 to determine the composition of the 44th New Zealand Parliament. It saw the governing National Party, led by Jim Bolger, win a second term in office, despite a major swing back towards the Labour Party. The new Alliance and New...		Jill White Jill White Jacqueline Jill White, known as Jill White is a former New Zealand Labour Party politician.-Local body politics:White was a councillor on Palmerston North City Council from 1983–1992. This was followed by some years in Parliament, a role which she resigned from in 1998 to become Mayor of...  (Labour New Zealand Labour Party The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935.... )