# Awarua (New Zealand electorate)

Awarua was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate from 1881 to 1996.

## Population centres

The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1875 for the 1875–1876 election. In the six years since, New Zealand's European population had increased by 65%. In the 1881 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of European representatives to 91 (up from 84 since the 1875–76 election). The number of Māori electorates was held at four. The House further decided that electorates should not have more than one representative, which led to 22 new electorates being formed, including Awarua, and two electorates that had previously been abolished to be recreated. This necessitated a major disruption to existing boundaries.
This electorate was in the rural part of Southland. In its original form, it covered the area around the town of Invercargill, which had its own electorate. Bluff fell into Awarua, and all of Stewart Island / Rakiura. On the mainland, Awarua had taken area from Riverton (which was abolished) and from Mataura (which moved to the east and north). Stewart Island had previously belonged to Wallace.

## History

The electorate was established in 1881. It was represented by the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward from 1887 to 1919. Philip De La Perrelle announced his retirement due to ill health in August 1935. He died within days of the 1935 election and was succeeded by James Hargest.
In the 1996 election, the first MMP election, the electorate was absorbed into the adjacent Invercargill electorate.

### Members of Parliament

Key
Independent Liberal Reform United National Labour
| Election | Winner |
| 1881 election | James Joyce |
| 1884 election | James Joyce |
| 1887 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1890 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1893 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1896 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1897 by-election | Joseph Ward |
| 1899 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1902 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1905 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1908 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1911 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1914 election | Joseph Ward |
| 1919 election | John Hamilton |
| 1922 election | Philip De La Perrelle |
| 1925 election | John Hamilton |
| 1928 election | Philip De La Perrelle |
| 1931 election | Philip De La Perrelle |
| 1935 election | James Hargest$^1$ |
| 1938 election | James Hargest$^1$ |
| 1943 election | James Hargest$^1$ |
| 1944 by-election | George Herron |
| 1946 election | George Herron |
| 1949 election | George Herron |
| 1951 election | George Herron |
| 1954 election | George Herron |
| 1957 election | Gordon Grieve |
| 1960 election | Gordon Grieve |
| 1963 election | Gordon Grieve |
| 1966 election | Gordon Grieve |
| 1969 election | Hugh Templeton |
| 1972 election | Aubrey Begg |
| 1975 election | Rex Austin |
| 1978 election | Rex Austin |
| 1981 election | Rex Austin |
| 1984 election | Rex Austin |
| 1987 election | Jeff Grant |
| 1990 election | Jeff Grant |
| 1993 election | Eric Roy |
| (Electorate abolished in 1996; see Invercargill) |||
$^1$James Hargest was originally an Independent supporter of the Reform Party. He joined the National Party in 1936.

## Election results
### 1963 election

1963 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | National | Gordon Grieve | 7,869 | 55.2 | −1.7 |
| | Labour | Noel Valentine | 4,496 | 31.6 | |
| | Social Credit | D McNaughton | 1,194 | 8.4 | +0.2 |
| | Liberal | R J Egerton | 691 | 4.8 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3,373 | 23.6 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 16,301 | 87.9 | +0.3 |

### 1944 by-election

1944 Awarua by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | National | George Herron | 4,659 | 62.40 |
| | Labour | Leo Sylvester O'Sullivan | 2,558 | 34.26 |
| | Real Democracy | Robert Henderson | 249 | 3.33 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,101 | 28.14 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,466 | |

### 1935 election

1935 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James Hargest | 3,651 | 41.32 |
| | Labour | Thomas Francis Doyle | 2,701 | 30.57 |
| | Democrat | L. A. Neiderer | 2,182 | 24.70 |
| | Independent | Norman MacIntyre | 301 | 3.41 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 950 | 10.75 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 140 | 1.56 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,975 | 94.14 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,534 | |
Table footnotes:
* ↑ James Hargest ran as an Independent, but was aligned to the Reform Party
* ↑ Neiderer was a former chairman of the Southland County Council

### 1931 election

1931 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Philip De La Perrelle | 4,645 | 65.04 | +10.38 |
| | Independent | Norman McIntyre | 2,497 | 34.96 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,148 | 30.08 | +17.47 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 134 | 1.84 | +0.95 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,276 | 83.82 | −9.98 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,681 | | |

### 1928 election

1928 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United | Philip De La Perrelle | 4,358 | 54.66 | +6.09 |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 3,353 | 42.05 | −9.37 |
| | Labour | William Denham | 262 | 3.29 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,005 | 12.61 | +9.75 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 72 | 0.89 | +0.49 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,045 | 93.80 | −0.25 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,577 | | |

### 1925 election

1925 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 3,962 | 51.43 | +2.81 |
| | Liberal | Philip De La Perrelle | 3,742 | 48.57 | −0.76 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 31 | 0.40 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,704 | 94.04 | +4.39 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,192 | | |

### 1922 election

1922 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Philip De La Perrelle | 3,531 | 49.33 |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 3,480 | 48.62 |
| | Independent | Norman McIntyre | 147 | 2.05 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 0.71 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,158 | 89.65 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,984 | |

### 1919 election

1919 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 3,164 | 55.99 | +18.16 |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 2,407 | 42.59 | −19.57 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 80 | 1.41 | +0.74 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 757 | 13.39 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,651 | 81.46 | +1.57 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,937 | | |

### 1914 election

1914 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 3,132 | 62.16 | +8.51 |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 1,906 | 37.83 | −4.18 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 34 | 0.67 | +0.85 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,226 | 24.33 | +12.69 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,038 | 83.03 | +3.68 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,067 | | |

### 1911 election

1911 general election: Awarua, First ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 2,893 | 53.65 | −11.27 |
| | Reform | John Hamilton | 2,265 | 42.01 | |
| | Independent | William Morris | 152 | 2.81 | −15.93 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 82 | 1.52 | −2.22 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 628 | 11.64 | −34.18 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,392 | 86.71 | +5.06 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,218 | | |

### 1908 election

1908 general election: Awarua, First ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 3,069 | 64.92 | −16.76 |
| | Independent | William Morris | 886 | 18.74 | |
| | Conservative | Alfred Snowball | 595 | 12.58 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 177 | 3.74 | +2.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,183 | 46.18 | −18.69 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,727 | 81.65 | −1.74 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,789 | | |

### 1905 election

1905 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 3,586 | 81.68 | +6.31 |
| | Independent | Henry Woodnorth | 738 | 16.82 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 66 | 1.50 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,848 | 64.87 | +14.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,390 | 83.39 | −6.70 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,264 | | |

### 1902 election

1902 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Sir Joseph Ward | 2,795 | 75.37 | −2.55 |
| | Independent | David Whyte | 913 | 24.63 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,882 | 50.75 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,708 | 76.69 | +0.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,835 | | |

### 1899 election

1899 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ward | 2,417 | 77.92 | +14.06 |
| | Conservative | W. T. Murray | 685 | 22.08 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,732 | 55.83 | +28.12 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,102 | 76.37 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,062 | | |

### 1897 by-election

1897 Awarua by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ward | 2,066 | 69.42 | +5.82 |
| | Conservative | Cuthbert Cowan | 910 | 30.58 | −5.82 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,976 | | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,156 | 38.84 | +11.65 |

### 1896 election

1896 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ward | 1,836 | 63.60 |
| | Conservative | Cuthbert Cowan | 1,051 | 36.40 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,887 | 72.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 785 | 27.19 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,887 | |

### 1893 election

1893 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ward | Unopposed | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,129 | | |

### 1890 election

1890 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Joseph Ward | Unopposed | | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,158 | | |

### 1887 election

1887 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Joseph Ward | 660 | 50.84 |
| | Independent | George Froggatt | 401 | 30.89 |
| | Independent | James Walker Bain | 237 | 18.25 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 259 | 19.95 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,298 | 62.46 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 2,078 | |

### 1884 election

1884 general election: Awarua :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James Joyce | 398 | 43.54 |
| | Independent | John Lyon McDonald | 311 | 34.03 |
| | Independent | Andrew Kinross | 74 | 8.10 |
| | Independent | John Walker Mitchell | 67 | 7.33 |
| | Independent | Thomas Hodgkinson | 64 | 7.00 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 87 | 9.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 914 | |