Recent Political Developments in New Zealand
| DOI | 10.1177/002070205100600202 |
| Author | J. F. Northey |
| Date | 01 June 1951 |
| Published date | 01 June 1951 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
RECENT
POLITICAL
DEVELOPMENTS
IN
NEW
ZEALAND
J. F.
Northey*
T
HE
LOGICAL
STARTING
point
for
an
appraisal
of
recent political
developments
in
New
Zealand
is
the
date
of
the
General
Election
of
30
November
1949,
when
the
National
Party
replaced
the
Labour
Party
as
the
Government.
The
period
of
slightly
more
than
twelve
months
that
has
passed
since
the
National
Party
became
the
Government
permits
an
appreciation
to
be
made
of
the
policies
being
pursued
by
the
new
Government.
In
this
article
an
attempt
will
be
made
to
deal
with
the main
political developments
of
the
past
year
which
include-
(a)
the
reasons
for
the
defeat
of
the
Labour
Government,
(b)
the
immediate
effects
of
the
change
of.
administration,
(c)
the
1950
legislative
programme,
(d)
the
introduction
of
White Papers,
(e)
the
1950
Budget and Financial
Statement,
(f)
the
withdrawal
of
subsidies
and
the
effects
upon
the
cost
of
living,
(g)
the
consequences
of
high
wool
prices,
(h)
external
affairs,
(i)
the
death
of
Mr.
Peter
Fraser,
and
(j)
the
popularity
of
the
National
Government.
The
standing
of
the two
parties
in
the
House
of
Representatives
prior to
election
day
was
Labour
41
seats,
National
38,
with
one
seat
vacant
by
reason
of
the
death
of
a
Labour
member.
Although
the
National
Party
was
elected
to
office
with
46
seats
to
Labour's
34,
its
majority
in
the
country
as
a
whole
was
only
50,000,
and
the
8
seats
that
changed
hands are
held
by
majorities
of
less
than
1,500.
A swing
of
approximately
8500
votes,
not
a
considerable figure,
in
these
crucial
electorates
was
responsible
for
the
defeat
of
the
Labour
Government.
In
any
analysis
of
the
defeat
of
the
Labour
Government,
due
considera-
tion must
be
given
to
the
relatively long
term
of
office
enjoyed
by
Labour.
In
1935
Labour
was
elected
with
an overwhelming
majority,
and
at
that
time
the
country
was ripe
for
a
change
both
in
personnel
and
policy.
The
Government
responsible
for
depression
policies
had
incurred
wide
unpopularity
with
the
result
that
Labour
was
victorious
*Formerly
of
the New
Zealand
Department
of
External
Affairs;
did
post-
graduate
work
on
Commonwealth Relations,
University
of
Toronto,
1949.
Now
lecturing
at
Auckland University.
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