Eastern Maori was one of New Zealand's four original parliamentary Māori electorates established in 1868, along with Northern Maori, Western Maori and Southern Maori. In 1996, with the introduction of MMP, the Maori electorates were updated, and Eastern Maori was replaced with the Te Tai Rawhiti and Te Puku O Te Whenua electorates.
Population centres
The electorate included the population centres of Kawerau, Opotiki, Rotorua and Whakatane.
Tribal areas
The electorate included the tribal areas of Ngāti Awa, Te Arawa, Ngāi Tai, Te Whakatōhea and Ngāti Porou.
History
Eastern Maori included Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty, and the Poverty Bay area down to Gisborne. Originally the electorate extended down the East Coast and included the Wairarapa, but in 1954 the boundaries of the Southern Maori electorate were extended to include much of the East Coast of the North Island up to Napier and Wairoa in Hawke's Bay.
The first Member of Parliament for Eastern Maori was Tareha Te Moananui, elected in 1868; he was the first Māori MP to speak in Parliament, and he retired in 1870.
James Carroll represented the electorate from 1887 to 1893, but in 1893 he changed to the Waiapu electorate and was replaced by Wi Pere who Carroll had defeated in 1887.
In the 1949 election, the incumbent, Tiaki Omana of the Labour Party, was unsuccessfully challenged by National's Turi Carroll.[1]
In the 1963 election, Puti Tipene Watene was elected. He was a Mormon and was the first non-Ratana to win a Maori seat since 1938.
With MMP Eastern Maori was replaced by the Te Tai Rawhiti electorate in 1996. Peter Tapsell, who had represented Eastern Maori since 1981 was defeated when he stood in the new electorate.
Members of Parliament
The Eastern Maori electorate was represented by ten Members of Parliament:[2]
Key
Independent Liberal United National Labour
Election results
Note that the affiliation of many early candidates is not known.
1993 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Tapsell | 9,311 | 63.52 | −7.40 | |
Alliance | Alamein Kopu | 2,645 | 18.04 | ||
Mana Māori | Tame Iti | 1,388 | 9.46 | ||
National | Jim Gray | 664 | 4.52 | ||
Christian Heritage | Mere Wirepa | 404 | 2.75 | ||
Natural Law | Molly Para | 246 | 1.67 | ||
Majority | 6,666 | 45.47 | −7.95 | ||
Turnout | 14,658 | 61.64 | +0.37 | ||
Registered electors | 23,779 |
1990 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Tapsell | 9,085 | 70.92 | −3.19 | |
Mana Motuhake | Wi Kuki Kaa | 2,241 | 17.49 | ||
National | Jim Ngatai Connelly | 1,484 | 11.58 | ||
Majority | 6,844 | 53.42 | −7.08 | ||
Turnout | 12,810 | 61.27 | −9.24 | ||
Registered electors | 20,906 |
1987 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Tapsell | 10,653 | 74.11 | −10.07 | |
Mana Motuhake | Amster Reedy | 1,957 | 13.61 | ||
National | Jim Gray | 1,321 | 9.19 | ||
Democrats | G M Ngakaru | 442 | 3.07 | ||
Majority | 8,696 | 60.50 | −16.45 | ||
Turnout | 14,373 | 70.51 | −7.28 | ||
Registered electors | 20,384 |
1984 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Tapsell | 12,285 | 84.18 | +20.39 | |
National | Barry Kiwara | 1,055 | 7.22 | ||
Mana Motuhake | Bert McLean | 575 | 3.94 | ||
NZ Party | Rawinia Heremaia | 400 | 2.74 | ||
Social Credit | T K Te Aweawe | 277 | 1.89 | ||
Majority | 11,230 | 76.95 | −0.35 | ||
Turnout | 14,592 | 77.79 | +0.49 | ||
Registered electors | 18,757 |
1981 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Peter Tapsell | 8,222 | 63.79 | ||
Mana Motuhake | Albert Tahana | 1,990 | 15.43 | ||
National | Charles Little | 1,505 | 11.67 | ||
Social Credit | R T Tibble | 1,172 | 9.09 | ||
Majority | 6,232 | 48.35 | |||
Turnout | 12,889 | 77.30 | +26.02 | ||
Registered electors | 16,673 |
1978 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paraone Reweti | 9,085 | 74.79 | +0.81 | |
National | Monty Searancke | 1,685 | 13.87 | −5.56 | |
Social Credit | T Te Hira | 1,195 | 9.83 | ||
Values | H Te M Kaa | 182 | 1.49 | ||
Majority | 7,400 | 60.92 | +6.37 | ||
Turnout | 12,147 | 51.28 | −18.53 | ||
Registered electors | 23,684 |
1975 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paraone Reweti | 8,491 | 73.98 | +1.33 | |
National | Monty Searancke | 2,230 | 19.43 | ||
Social Credit | Manu Te Pere | 548 | 4.77 | ||
Values | Danny Stevens | 208 | 1.81 | ||
Majority | 6,261 | 54.55 | +3.63 | ||
Turnout | 11,477 | 69.81 | −16.19 | ||
Registered electors | 16,439 |
1972 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paraone Reweti | 8,831 | 72.65 | +10.64 | |
National | Koro Dewes | 2,641 | 21.72 | ||
Social Credit | R Rangi | 505 | 4.15 | ||
New Democratic | T T Clarke | 177 | 1.45 | ||
Majority | 6,190 | 50.92 | +21.09 | ||
Turnout | 12,154 | 86.00 | +2.84 | ||
Registered electors | 14,131 |
1969 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paraone Reweti | 7,247 | 62.01 | +12.52 | |
National | Henare Ngata | 3,760 | 32.17 | ||
Social Credit | Maanu Paul | 679 | 5.81 | −7.72 | |
Majority | 3,487 | 29.83 | +7.15 | ||
Turnout | 11,686 | 83.16 | +22.46 | ||
Registered electors | 14,051 |
1967 by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Paraone Reweti | 4,460 | 49.49 | ||
National | Arnold Reedy | 2,416 | 26.81 | −3.93 | |
Social Credit | Maanu Paul | 1,219 | 13.53 | +3.11 | |
Independent Maori | Don Bennett | 671 | 7.45 | ||
Independent | Te Okanga Huata | 246 | 2.73 | ||
Majority | 2,044 | 22.68 | |||
Turnout | 9,012 | 60.70 | −15.58 | ||
Registered electors | 14,849 | ||||
Labour hold | Swing |
1966 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Puti Tipene Watene | 6,537 | 58.83 | +3.83 | |
National | Arnold Reedy | 3,416 | 30.74 | −3.43 | |
Social Credit | Maanu Paul | 1,158 | 10.42 | ||
Majority | 3,121 | 28.08 | +7.25 | ||
Turnout | 11,111 | 76.28 | −7.03 | ||
Registered electors | 14,566 |
1963 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Puti Tipene Watene | 6,775 | 55.00 | ||
National | Arnold Reedy | 4,209 | 34.17 | +9.49 | |
Social Credit | R W Smith | 741 | 6.01 | ||
Independent | B A Raukopa | 230 | 1.86 | ||
Independent | P H Baker | 157 | 1.27 | ||
Liberal | R Rangi | 112 | 0.90 | ||
Ind. Social Credit | M W Sadler | 92 | 0.74 | ||
Majority | 2,566 | 20.83 | |||
Turnout | 12,316 | 83.31 | +3.30 | ||
Registered electors | 14,783 |
1960 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 5,809 | 51.49 | −8.43 | |
Social Credit | Arnold Reedy | 2,784 | 24.68 | +6.25 | |
National | Henry Reiwhati Vercoe | 2,496 | 22.12 | ||
Independent | Mita Carter | 191 | 1.69 | ||
Majority | 3,025 | 26.81 | −11.47 | ||
Turnout | 11,280 | 80.01 | −6.17 | ||
Registered electors | 14,098 |
1957 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 6,569 | 59.92 | −0.81 | |
National | Wiremu Hoete Maxwell | 2,372 | 21.63 | ||
Social Credit | Arnold Reedy | 2,021 | 18.43 | ||
Majority | 4,197 | 38.28 | +11.50 | ||
Turnout | 10,962 | 86.18 | +1.59 | ||
Registered electors | 12,719 |
1954 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 7,015 | 60.73 | −2.41 | |
National | Claude Anaru | 3,921 | 33.94 | ||
Social Credit | Wilson Paku | 614 | 5.31 | ||
Majority | 3,094 | 26.78 | +0.51 | ||
Turnout | 11,550 | 84.59 | −13.30 | ||
Registered electors | 13,654 |
1951 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 8,905 | 63.14 | +1.48 | |
National | Turi Carroll | 5,199 | 36.86 | −1.48 | |
Majority | 3,706 | 26.27 | +2.94 | ||
Turnout | 14,104 | 97.89 | −9.79 | ||
Registered electors | 14,407 |
1949 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 8,487 | 61.66 | +7.68 | |
National | Turi Carroll | 5,276 | 38.34 | ||
Majority | 3,211 | 23.33 | +12.15 | ||
Turnout | 13,763 | 107.68 | |||
Registered electors | 12,781 |
The number of electors on Maori rolls was often inaccurate hence the impossible turnout figures.[5]
1946 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Tiaki Omana | 7,321 | 53.98 | ||
National | Āpirana Ngata | 5,804 | 42.79 | ||
Informal votes | 439 | 3.23 | |||
Majority | 1,517 | 11.18 | |||
Turnout | 13,564 |
1931 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United | Āpirana Ngata | 5,105 | 71.91 | +1.70 | |
Ratana | Pita Moko | 1,994 | 28.09 | +1.90 | |
Majority | 3,111 | 43.82 | |||
Turnout | 7,099 |
1928 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
United | Āpirana Ngata | 4,950 | 70.21 | ||
Ratana | Pita Moko | 1,846 | 26.18 | ||
Labour | Robert Panapa Tutaki | 254 | 3.60 | ||
Majority | 3,104 | 44.03 | |||
Turnout | 7,050 |
1899 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Wi Pere | 2,294 | 40.52 | −20.70 | |
Mohi Te Ātahīkoia | 1,387 | 24.50 | |||
Hurinui Apanui | 1,316 | 23.25 | |||
Kereru Numia | 331 | 5.85 | |||
Tare Mete | 207 | 3.66 | −9.86 | ||
Tamati Haweti | 126 | 2.23 | |||
Majority | 907 | 16.02 | |||
Turnout | 5,661 |
1896 election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal | Wi Pere | 2,549 | 61.22 | ||
Tamati Tautuhi | 805 | 19.33 | |||
Tare Mete | 563 | 13.52 | |||
Maika Taruhe | 182 | 4.37 | |||
Eriata Nopera | 65 | 1.56 | |||
Majority | 1,744 | 41.88 | |||
Turnout | 4,164 |
1879 by-election
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Henare Tomoana | 652 | 37.84 | ||
Independent | Henare Matua | 583 | 33.84 | ||
Independent | Hans Tapsell | 429 | 24.90 | ||
Independent | Henare Te Pukuatua | 59 | 3.42 | ||
Majority | 69 | 4.00 | |||
Turnout | 1723 |
Notes
- ^ Rorke, Jinty. "Turi Carroll". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 April 2017.
- ^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
- ^ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1993. p. 146.
- ^ Part 1: Votes recorded at each polling place (Technical report). New Zealand Chief Electoral Office. 1990. p. 153.
- ^ a b c d e f g Norton 1988, p. 396.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Norton 1988, p. 395.
- ^ "The General Election, 1949". National Library. 1950. pp. 1–5, 8. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
- ^ "The General Election, 1946". National Library. 1947. pp. 1–11, 14. Retrieved 1 January 2014.
- ^ The General Election, 1931. Government Printer. 1932. p. 6. Retrieved 2 November 2014.
- ^ Skinner 1929, p. 7.
- ^ "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 3. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
- ^ "Untitled". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXIV, no. 7816. 4 January 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
References
- 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.
- Skinner, W. A. G. (1929). The General Election, 1928. Government Printer. Retrieved 25 April 2015.