Waitemata (electorate)

The Waitemata electorate was created in the 1870 electoral redistribution based on 1867 New Zealand census data and was used in its initial form for the 1871 election.^[1] It was located north of the various urban Auckland electorates and south of the Rodney electorate.^[2] The following settlements were included in its initial area: Cornwallis, Huia, Parau, Laingholm, Titirangi, Waiatarua, Oratia, Piha, Henderson Valley, Swanson, Rānui, Waitākere township, Taupaki, Kumeū, Hobsonville, Whenuapai, Takapuna, and Helensville.^[2]

The First Labour Government was defeated in the 1949 election and the incoming National Government changed the Electoral Act, with the electoral quota once again based on total population as opposed to qualified electors, and the tolerance was increased to 7.5% of the electoral quota. There was no adjustments in the number of electorates between the South and North Islands, but the law changes resulted in boundary adjustments to almost every electorate through the 1952 electoral redistribution; only five electorates were unaltered.^[3] Five electorates were reconstituted (including Waitemata) and one was newly created, and a corresponding six electorates were abolished; all of these in the North Island.^[4] These changes took effect with the 1954 election.^[5]

The electorate existed from 1871 to 1946, and from 1954 to 1978.^[6]

Early members were Thomas Henderson 1871–1874 (resigned),^[7] Gustav von der Heyde 1874–1875 (unseated on petition),^[8] John Sangster Macfarlane 1876–1879 (defeated),^[9] Reader Wood 1879–1881 (retired),^[10] William John Hurst 1881–1886 (died),^[11] Richard Monk 1886–1890 (defeated),^[12] and Jackson Palmer 1890–1893 (defeated).^[13]

The election of Richard Monk, who stood again in 1893, was declared invalid.^[12] From 1894 to 1896 Waitemata was held by future Prime Minister William Massey, until he transferred to Franklin.^[14] Richard Monk held the electorate for the period 1896–1902.^[12] The seat was then held by Ewen Alison from 1902 to 1908,^[15] Leonard Phillips from 1908 to 1911,^[16] and Alexander Harris from 1911 to 1935.^[17]

In 1946 Henry Thorne Morton, who had held the seat from 1943, was defeated for North Shore.^[18]