The 1953 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. In 1953, elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including twenty-one city councillors. The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post electoral method.
Long serving incumbent mayor John Allum was successfully challenged by former magistrate John Luxford.[1] Allum was the first mayor in the 20th century who had stood for re-election unsuccessfully. Luxford was endorsed by the new United Independents electoral ticket who gained the balance of power between the Labour Party and Citizens & Ratepayers, costing the latter the majority they had held since 1938.[2]
The Labour Party initially intended to stand a candidate and it was seen that MP for Arch Hill and former councillor John Stewart would stand.[3] Stewart was selected as Labour's nominee but later withdrew his candidacy prompting the party to re-open nominations.[4] Labour selected a replacement candidate, Richard Newell Stephen Joseph Wrathall, to replace Stewart. Wrathall, who was Labour's candidate for North Shore at the 1951 election, was vice-president of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee and a candidate for the city council in 1947, 1950 and a 1952 by-election. He was an engineering clerk and both an executive member of the Auckland Trades Council and Clerical Workers' Union.[5] Just over a month before the election, Wrathall was removed as a candidate after he was suspended as a member of the party. The party subsequently did not select a replacement mayoral candidate.[6]
A major talking point in the lead up to the election was the potential of a clash with the 1953 Royal Tour.[7] There were proposals to postpone local elections until early 1954 over fears of reduced turnout due to a conflicted schedule. The proposals were considered by the Minister of Internal Affairs William Bodkin, who ultimately decided against it.[8]
Edgar, John (2012). Urban Legend: Sir Dove-Meyer Robinson. Hodder Moa.
January 01, 1970
1953, auckland, city, mayoral, election, part, zealand, local, elections, held, that, same, year, 1953, elections, were, held, mayor, auckland, plus, other, local, government, positions, including, twenty, city, councillors, polling, conducted, using, standard. The 1953 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year In 1953 elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland plus other local government positions including twenty one city councillors The polling was conducted using the standard first past the post electoral method 1953 Auckland City mayoral election 1950 31 October 1953 1956 Turnout39 561 Candidate John Luxford John Allum Party Independent Independent Popular vote 20 201 18 633 Percentage 51 06 47 09Mayor before election John Allum Elected Mayor John Luxford Contents 1 Background 2 Mayoralty results 3 Councillor results 4 Notes 5 ReferencesBackground editLong serving incumbent mayor John Allum was successfully challenged by former magistrate John Luxford 1 Allum was the first mayor in the 20th century who had stood for re election unsuccessfully Luxford was endorsed by the new United Independents electoral ticket who gained the balance of power between the Labour Party and Citizens amp Ratepayers costing the latter the majority they had held since 1938 2 The Labour Party initially intended to stand a candidate and it was seen that MP for Arch Hill and former councillor John Stewart would stand 3 Stewart was selected as Labour s nominee but later withdrew his candidacy prompting the party to re open nominations 4 Labour selected a replacement candidate Richard Newell Stephen Joseph Wrathall to replace Stewart Wrathall who was Labour s candidate for North Shore at the 1951 election was vice president of the Auckland Labour Representation Committee and a candidate for the city council in 1947 1950 and a 1952 by election He was an engineering clerk and both an executive member of the Auckland Trades Council and Clerical Workers Union 5 Just over a month before the election Wrathall was removed as a candidate after he was suspended as a member of the party The party subsequently did not select a replacement mayoral candidate 6 A major talking point in the lead up to the election was the potential of a clash with the 1953 Royal Tour 7 There were proposals to postpone local elections until early 1954 over fears of reduced turnout due to a conflicted schedule The proposals were considered by the Minister of Internal Affairs William Bodkin who ultimately decided against it 8 Mayoralty results edit1953 Auckland mayoral election 9 Party Candidate Votes Independent John Luxford 20 201 51 06 Independent John Allum 18 633 47 09 2 60 Informal votes 727 1 83 1 43 Majority 1 568 3 96 Turnout 39 561Councillor results edit1953 Auckland local election 9 Party Candidate Votes Citizens amp Ratepayers Fred Ambler 15 972 42 61 6 91 Citizens amp Ratepayers Barbara Roche 15 329 40 89 11 46 United Independents Dove Myer Robinson 15 175 40 48 Labour Mary Dreaver 14 744 39 33 Labour Bill Butler 14 682 39 16 1 19 Citizens amp Ratepayers Andrew Percy Postlewaite 14 403 38 42 United Independents Bruce Barnett 14 270 38 07 Labour Agnes Dodd 13 735 36 64 0 74 Citizens amp Ratepayers Keith Buttle 13 524 36 08 5 39 Citizens amp Ratepayers John Whittaker 12 805 34 16 2 75 United Independents Eric Armishaw 12 710 33 90 Citizens amp Ratepayers Tom Bloodworth 12 557 33 50 Citizens amp Ratepayers Reg Savory 12 553 33 48 Labour Pat Curran 12 291 32 79 Citizens amp Ratepayers Charles Bailey 12 091 32 25 United Independents Ken Cumberland 12 027 32 08 Labour Alex Dreaver 11 696 31 20 Labour George Forsyth 11 685 31 17 United Independents Vern Dyson 11 661 31 11 Citizens amp Ratepayers Howard Hunter 11 459 30 57 7 83 Labour James Neil Bradley 11 431 30 49 Citizens amp Ratepayers Edna Mackay 11 321 30 20 Labour Ronald Akersten 11 103 29 62 Labour Paul Richardson 11 096 29 60 4 95 Citizens amp Ratepayers John Upton 10 976 29 28 United Independents Vernon Brown 10 832 28 89 Labour John Albert Mason 10 807 28 83 United Independents Maxwell Francis Constable 10 804 28 82 Labour Alexander Grant 10 545 28 13 Labour Edith Williams 10 452 27 88 Labour Norman Finch 10 380 27 69 United Independents Mary Jackson 10 364 27 64 Labour Cyril Keeling 10 237 27 31 Labour Frederick Johnston 10 236 27 30 Citizens amp Ratepayers Howard Moncrieff Bagnall 10 181 27 16 Labour John Henry Weaver 10 170 27 13 5 80 Citizens amp Ratepayers Geoffrey Richard Keenan 10 165 27 11 Citizens amp Ratepayers Robert Clive Haszard 10 138 27 04 Citizens amp Ratepayers Harold Barry 10 091 26 92 9 53 United Independents Catherine King 10 012 26 71 Labour John Arthur Roebuck 10 012 26 71 Citizens amp Ratepayers Bob Beechy 9 930 26 49 9 02 United Independents Aubrey Tronson 9 868 26 32 8 52 Labour Walter Ernest Watson 9 810 26 17 Labour William Thomas Elsdon 9 672 25 80 United Independents Trenthsm Charles Webster 9 485 25 30 Citizens amp Ratepayers James Stewart Matthews 9 457 25 23 Labour Arthur William Punchard 9 410 25 10 4 46 United Independents Robert Dunsmuir 9 344 24 92 United Independents Thomas James Sprott 9 187 24 50 Citizens amp Ratepayers Ralph Howard Exton 9 127 24 34 Independent Geoffrey Myers 8 954 23 88 Citizens amp Ratepayers Gavin Lishman 8 905 23 75 United Independents Alfred Edward Knight 8 720 23 26 Citizens amp Ratepayers Ian Norman Watkin 8 701 23 21 United Independents Gideon Rodger 8 442 22 52 Labour Norman King 8 384 22 36 12 92 United Independents William Murray Wilson 8 285 22 10 United Independents George Edward Wilding 8 037 21 44 United Independents Stanley Edward Burke 7 893 21 05 United Independents Annabel Kathleen Etherington 7 581 20 22 United Independents Scott Walton 7 420 19 79 United Independents Murray Lennan 7 248 19 33 Independent Mary Wright 6 327 16 87 22 23 Independent Caroline Margaret Bennett 5 065 13 51 Independent Richard Armstrong 3 855 10 28 3 32 Independent James MacLean 2 599 6 93 Independent George Mullenger 2 312 6 16 6 49 Communist Alexander Drennan 1 975 5 26 1 58 Independent Colin Campbell Biernacki 1 883 5 02 Independent Amy Milburn 1 874 4 99 3 44 Communist Bill Andersen 1 817 4 84 Communist Rita Smith 1 644 4 38 2 23 Communist Donald McEwan 1 612 4 30 2 56 Communist August Smith 1 050 2 80 Communist Alec Rait 846 2 25 1 09Notes edit Mr Luxford To Be City s Next Mayor The New Zealand Herald 23 November 1953 p 6 Edgar 2012 Mayoralty of Auckland Candidature of Mr J S Stewart M P The Press Vol LXXXIX no 27015 15 April 1953 p 11 Auckland Local Body Polls Labour to Contest All Seats The Press Vol LXXXIX no 27052 29 May 1953 p 3 Personal Items The Press Vol LXXXIX no 27091 14 July 1953 p 8 Auckland City Mayoralty Labour Suspends Candidate No Substitute to be Offered The Press Vol LXXXIX no 27165 8 October 1953 p 13 Move to Postpone Next Municipal Elections The Evening Post 18 October 1952 Local Elections Date Fixed The Evening Post 28 January 1953 a b Electoral The New Zealand Herald 16 November 1953 p 16 References editEdgar John 2012 Urban Legend Sir Dove Meyer Robinson Hodder Moa Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1953 Auckland City mayoral election amp oldid 1143130683, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
