1947 Mount Albert by-election


The 1947 Mount Albert by-election was a by-election held during the 28th New Zealand Parliament in the Auckland electorate of. The by-election occurred following the death of MP Arthur Richards and was won by Warren Freer.

Background

, who was first elected to represent for the Labour Party in, died on 5 August 1947. This triggered the Mount Albert by-election, which occurred on 24 September 1947. Warren Freer was the candidate for the Labour Party, and Jack Garland was the candidate for the National Party.

Candidates

;Labour
There were nine nominees for the Labour Party candidacy who included:
The decision was deferred to the Labour Party's national executive. Freer was only 26 and relatively unknown to executive members, but local member Dick Barter convinced party leader Peter Fraser that his candidacy in Eden was adequate apprenticeship. He was eventually selected. Richards had urged Freer to stand for the safe Labour seat of Mt Albert when he died.
;National
The National Party had five nominations which were:
Garland was chosen after winning a ballot of local members.

Campaign

Freer recalled two inspiring campaign speeches delivered by Martyn Finlay and Mabel Howard which were received well by voters.

Previous election

Results

The following table gives the election results:
Freer obtained 56% of the votes and was successful. Freer was staggered when his majority was close to that of Richards in 1946, rather than being well below. At the November local-body elections Garland was elected a member of the Auckland City Council.
Freer would hold the Mount Albert electorate for more than three decades until he retired at the.