1949 New Zealand general election
{{short description|none}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox election
| election_name = 1949 New Zealand general election
| country = New Zealand
| flag_year = 1949
| type = parliamentary
| ongoing = no
| previous_election = 1946 New Zealand general election
| previous_year = 1946
| previous_members = 28th New Zealand Parliament
| next_election = 1951 New Zealand general election
| next_year = 1951
| next_members = 30th New Zealand Parliament
| seats_for_election = All 80 seats in the New Zealand Parliament
41 seats were needed for a majority
| election_date = 29 (Māori) & 30 November (general) 1949
| elected_mps = elected members
| turnout = 1,113,852 (96.3%) {{increase}}
| image1 = 200x200px
| leader1 = Sidney Holland
| leader_since1 = 26 November 1940
| party1 = New Zealand National Party
| leaders_seat1 = Fendalton
| last_election1 = 38 seats, 48.4%
| seats1 = 46
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 8
| popular_vote1 = 556,805
| percentage1 = 51.9%
| swing1 = {{increase}} 3.5%
| image2 = 200x200px
| leader2 = Peter Fraser
| leader_since2 = 4 April 1940
| party2 = New Zealand Labour Party
| leaders_seat2 = {{NZ electorate link|Brooklyn}}
| last_election2 = 42 seats, 51.3%
| seats2 = 34
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 8
| popular_vote2 = 506,073
| percentage2 = 47.2%
| swing2 = {{decrease}} 4.1%
| map_image = 1949 New Zealand general election - Results.svg
| map_size = 400px
| map_caption = Results of the election.
| title = Prime Minister
| posttitle = Subsequent Prime Minister
| before_election = Peter Fraser
| after_election = Sidney Holland
| before_party = New Zealand Labour Party
| after_party = New Zealand National Party
}}
The 1949 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 29th term. It saw the governing Labour Party defeated by the opposition National Party. This marked the end of the 14-year First Labour government and the beginning of the First National government.
Background
The Labour Party had formed its first ministry after winning the 1935 election, and had remained in power (with gradually decreasing majorities) since then. The National Party, formed by a merger of the parties which Labour had originally ousted, gradually increased its power in Parliament; the ineffectual Adam Hamilton was replaced by Sidney Holland, and internal disputes were gradually resolved. The Prime Minister, Peter Fraser, was increasingly weary. Ongoing shortages after World War II also eroded public support for the government. The National Party's decision not to repeal Labour's social welfare policies also increased its appeal.
=MPs retiring in 1949=
Two Labour MPs and one National MP intended to retire at the end of the Parliament.
| class="wikitable" | ||
| colspan=2| Party | Name | Electorate |
|---|---|---|
| rowspan=2 {{party color cell|New Zealand Labour Party}}
| rowspan=2| Labour | Gisborne | |
| Charles Petrie | Otahuhu | |
| {{party color cell|New Zealand National Party}}
| National | Wairarapa |
The election
The date for the main elections was a Wednesday 30 November. Elections to the four Māori electorates were held the day before—the 1949 elections were the last in which Māori voted on a different day. 1,113,852 people were registered to vote, although rolls for the Māori electorates were "woefully inadequate." Voter turnout for the elections is disputed, given the problems with the Māori roll—some sources place it at 93.5 percent, while others estimate 92.9 percent. Regardless, the turnout was relatively high for the time. The number of seats being contested was 80, a number which had been fixed since 1902.
Election results
=Party standings=
The 1949 election saw the governing Labour Party defeated by a twelve-seat margin. It has previously held a four-seat majority. Labour won a total of 34 seats, as opposed to National's 46. The popular vote was considerably closer—Labour won 47.2 percent to National's 51.9 percent. No seats were won by minor party candidates or by independents.
John A. Lee stood for {{NZ electorate link|Grey Lynn}} as the sole Democratic Labour candidate and got 2,627 votes, coming third.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
!colspan=7|center |
| colspan=7| Election results |
|---|
| colspan=2|Party
!Candidates !Total votes !Percentage !Seats won !change |
| align=right
|{{Party color cell|New Zealand National Party}} |align=left |National |80 |556,805 |51.88 |46 | +8 |
| align=right
| {{Party color cell|New Zealand Labour Party}} |align=left |Labour |80 |506,073 |47.16 |34 | −8 |
| align=right
| {{Party color cell|Communist Party of New Zealand}} |align=left |Communist | 16 |3,499 |0.33 | 0 | ±0 |
| align=right
| {{Party color cell|Democratic Labour Party (New Zealand)}} |align=left |Democratic Labour |1 |2,627 |0.24 | 0 | ±0 |
| align=right
|{{party color cell|Independent politician}} |align=left |Others | 19 | 4,150 | 0.39 | 0 | ±0 |
| bgcolor=
|colspan=2 align=left|Total |196 |1,073,154 | |80 | |
=Votes summary=
{{bar box
| title=Popular Vote
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|National|{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}|51.88}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}|47.16}}
{{bar percent|Others|#777777|0.96}}
}}
{{bar box
| title=Parliament seats
| titlebar=#ddd
| width=600px
| barwidth=410px
| bars=
{{bar percent|National|{{party color|New Zealand National Party}}|57.50}}
{{bar percent|Labour|{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}}|42.50}}
}}
=Initial MPs=
The table below shows the results of the 1949 general election:
Key
{{Party index link|New Zealand Labour Party}}
{{Party index link|New Zealand National Party}}
{{NZ electorate result start|Electorate results for the 1949 New Zealand general election{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1949 |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d=AJHR1950-I.2.3.2.43 |publisher=National Library |access-date=3 January 2014 |pages=1–5, 8 |year=1950}}
}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | General electorates
|-
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Arch Hill
|incumbent = Bill Parry
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 5,174
|second = Gordon Frederick Smith
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Ashburton
|incumbent = Geoff Gerard
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 2,385
|second = William Erle Rose
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Auckland Central
|incumbent = Bill Anderton
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,799
|second = Leonard Bradley
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Avon
|incumbent = John Mathison
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 4,593
|second = George Nelson Kinzett
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Awarua
|incumbent = George Richard Herron
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,179
|second = Neville Pickering{{sfn|Norton|1988|p=197}}
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Bay of Plenty
|incumbent = Bill Sullivan
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,680
|second = Thomas Godfrey Santon
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Brooklyn
|incumbent = Peter Fraser{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=198}}
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,956
|second = Berta Burns{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=357}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Buller
|incumbent = Jerry Skinner
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,206
|second = Phil McDonald
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Central Otago
|incumbent = William Bodkin
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,906
|second = Thomas Augustus Rodgers
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Christchurch Central
|incumbent = Robert Macfarlane
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 3,637
|second = Kevin Marlow
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Clutha
|incumbent = James Roy
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,231
|second = John Edward Keenan
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Dunedin Central
|incumbent = Phil Connolly
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 989
|second = David Murdoch
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Dunedin North
|incumbent = Robert Walls
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 668
|second = Richard Brickell
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Eden
|incumbent = Wilfred Fortune
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 2,259
|second = Pat Curran
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Egmont
|incumbent = Ernest Corbett
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,539
|second = Brian Edgar Richmond
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Fendalton
|incumbent = Sidney Holland
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,076
|second = Robert Newman
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Franklin
|incumbent = Jack Massey
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 5,481
|second = John Parsons
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Gisborne
|incumbent = David Coleman
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Reginald Keeling
|winner-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 489
|second = Harry Dudfield{{sfn|Norton|1988|p=228}}{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=308}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Grey Lynn
|incumbent = Fred Hackett
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 4,203
|second = John Leon Faulkner{{sfn|Norton|1988|p=419}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Hamilton
|incumbent = Hilda Ross
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,605
|second = Jack Granville
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Hastings
|incumbent = Ted Cullen
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Sydney Jones
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 982
|second = Ted Cullen
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
|-
| Hauraki
| style="background-color:{{party color|New Zealand National Party}};" |
| colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:{{New Zealand National Party/meta/shading}};" | Andy Sutherland
| style="text-align:right;" | 3,944
| style="background-color:{{party color|New Zealand Labour Party}};" |
| style="text-align:center;" | Percival Peacock
|-
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Hawke's Bay
|incumbent = Cyril Harker
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,442
|second = Dick Beattie
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Hobson
|incumbent = Sidney Walter Smith
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 5,068
|second = William Edmund Lane
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Hurunui
|incumbent = William Gillespie
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 2,535
|second = Arthur J. Smith
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Hutt
|incumbent = Walter Nash
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,273
|second = Horace Leonard Heatley
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Invercargill
|incumbent = Ralph Hanan
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,159
|second = William Denham
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Island Bay
|incumbent = Robert McKeen
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,770
|second = Herbert Edward Childs
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Karori
|incumbent = Charles Bowden
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,585
|second = Ethel Harris
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Lyttelton
|incumbent = Terry McCombs
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 978
|second = Richard Ralph Beauchamp
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Manawatu
|incumbent = Matthew Oram
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,433
|second = Basil A. Rodgers
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Marlborough
|incumbent = Tom Shand
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,862
|second = James Harrison Wilson
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Marsden
|incumbent = Alfred Murdoch
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,276
|second = Douglas L. Ross
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Miramar
|incumbent = Bob Semple
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 1,315
|second = Cuthbert Taylor
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Mornington
|incumbent = Wally Hudson
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 4,185
|second = Geoffrey Stephens
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Mount Albert
|incumbent = Warren Freer
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 931
|second = Reg Judson
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Mount Victoria
|incumbent = Jack Marshall
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,808
|second = Nathan Seddon
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Napier
|incumbent = Tommy Armstrong
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 721
|second = William Tucker
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Nelson
|incumbent = Edgar Neale
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,373
|second = Reynell Marshall
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = New Plymouth
|incumbent = Ernest Aderman
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,517
|second = Clarence Robert Parker
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = North Shore
|incumbent = Martyn Finlay
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Dean Eyre
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,344
|second = Martyn Finlay
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Oamaru
|incumbent = Arnold Nordmeyer
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Thomas Hayman
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 694
|second = Arnold Nordmeyer
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Onehunga
|incumbent = Arthur Osborne
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,300
|second = Alan A. Coates
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Onslow
|incumbent = Harry Combs
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 1,927
|second = John S. Meadowcroft{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=378}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Otahuhu
|incumbent = Charles Petrie
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Leon Götz
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,275
|second = Alex Dixon
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Otaki
|incumbent = Jimmy Maher
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 374
|second = Denzil Capstick
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Pahiatua
|incumbent = Keith Holyoake
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,507
|second = G P O'Leary
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Palmerston North
|incumbent = Ormond Wilson
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Blair Tennent
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 518
|second = Ormond Wilson
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Parnell
|incumbent = Duncan Rae
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 960
|second = Bill Schramm
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Patea
|incumbent = William Sheat
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,841
|second = Frederick William Finer
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Petone
|incumbent = Mick Moohan
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,527
|second = Norm Croft
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Piako
|incumbent = Stan Goosman
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 6,266
|second = Gilbert Parsons Kenah
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Ponsonby
|incumbent = Ritchie Macdonald
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,278
|second = Brian Kingston
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Raglan
|incumbent = Alan Baxter
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Hallyburton Johnstone
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,022
|second = Alan Baxter
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Rangitikei
|incumbent = Edward Gordon
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 3,310
|second = Eric De Malmanche
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Remuera
|incumbent = Ronald Algie
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 5,079
|second = Hugh Watt{{sfn|Norton|1988|p=331}}
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Riccarton
|incumbent = Angus McLagan
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,707
|second = Harry Lake{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=325}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Rodney
|incumbent = Clifton Webb
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,546
|second = Arthur Leaming
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Roskill
|incumbent = Frank Langstone
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = John Rae
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,415
|second = James Freeman
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = St Albans
|incumbent = Jack Watts
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,142
|second = George Manning{{DNZB|Sharfe|Jean|5m33|Manning, George|17 February 2010}}
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = St Kilda
|incumbent = Fred Jones
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 331
|second = Gerald Lyon
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Selwyn
|incumbent = John McAlpine
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,327
|second = Alan Sharp
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Sydenham
|incumbent = Mabel Howard
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 5,643
|second = Oliver G. Moody{{sfn|Gustafson|1986|p=378}}
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Tamaki
|incumbent = Tom Skinner
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|winner = Eric Halstead
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,095
|second = Tom Skinner
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Tauranga
|incumbent = Frederick Doidge
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,595
|second = Hillary Joseph Pickett
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Timaru
|incumbent = Clyde Carr
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 832
|second = Jack Lockington
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Waikato
|incumbent = Geoffrey Sim
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 5,923
|second = John Ronald Burfitt
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Waimarino
|incumbent = Paddy Kearins
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 202
|second = Arthur Herbert MacPherson
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Waimate
|incumbent = David Campbell Kidd
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 1,767
|second = Roy Davison
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Wairarapa
|incumbent = Garnet Mackley
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|winner = Bert Cooksley
|winner-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 963
|second = George Anders Hansen
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Waitakere
|incumbent = Rex Mason
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 930
|second = Robert Tapper
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Waitomo
|incumbent = Walter Broadfoot
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 5,079
|second = Frank Kitts
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Wallace
|incumbent = Tom Macdonald
|incumbent-party = New Zealand National Party
|majority = 4,511
|second = Herman Victor Freeman
|second-party = New Zealand Labour Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Wanganui
|incumbent = Joe Cotterill
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 1,019
|second = Ernest Victor O'Keefe
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Wellington Central
|incumbent = Charles Chapman
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 575
|second = Will Appleton
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Westland
|incumbent = Jim Kent
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,744
|second = Patrick Joseph O'Regan
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
|-
|colspan=8 style="background-color:#FFDEAD" | Māori electorates
|-
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Eastern Maori
|incumbent = Tiaki Omana
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 3,211
|second = Turi Carroll
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Northern Maori
|incumbent = Tapihana Paraire Paikea
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 2,029
|second = James Henare
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result hold
|electorate = Southern Maori
|incumbent = Eruera Tirikatene
|incumbent-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 687
|second = Huro Nathanial Bates
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
{{NZ electorate result change
|electorate = Western Maori
|incumbent = vacant{{refn|group=nb|Matiu Ratana, the previous holder of the Western Maori electorate, died on 7 October 1949. His wife Iriaka Rātana stood for election instead.}}
|incumbent-party =
|winner = Iriaka Rātana
|winner-party = New Zealand Labour Party
|majority = 6,317
|second = Hoeroa Marumaru
|second-party = New Zealand National Party
}}
|}
Table footnotes:
{{reflist|group=nb}}
Notes
{{Reflist}}
References
- {{Cite thesis |last=Fraser |first=S. E. |title=The 1949 General Election |degree=MA |year=1967 |location=Dunedin |publisher=University of Otago }}
- {{cite book |last = Gustafson |first = Barry |author-link = Barry Gustafson |title = The First 50 Years : A History of the New Zealand National Party |year = 1986 |publisher = Reed Methuen |location = Auckland |isbn = 0-474-00177-6}}
- {{Cite thesis |last=McLennan |first=R. |title=The Last Years of the First Labour Government 1945–1949 |degree=MA |year=1963 |location=Auckland |publisher=University of Auckland }}
- {{cite book |last=Norton |first=Clifford |title=New Zealand Parliamentary Election Results 1946–1987: Occasional Publications No 1, Department of Political Science |year=1988 |publisher=Victoria University of Wellington |location=Wellington |isbn=0-475-11200-8}}
- {{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}}
{{New Zealand elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:1949 New Zealand general election}}