Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942

The Mid-Canterbury by-election, 1942 was a by-election held on 27 January 1942 during the 26th New Zealand Parliament in the seat of Mid-Canterbury. They by-election came about because of the death of Arthur Grigg, his wife Mary Grigg was elected unopposed.

Arthur Grigg had held the seat since 1938 for the National Party. He was killed while serving during World War II with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) in Libya. His wife was selected as the candidate for the national party while Labour decided not to stand a candidate because of the war.^[1] Therefore, Grigg was elected unopposed.^[2]

Grigg became the first female National Party MP and the fourth overall. She had little impact on parliament, retiring at the 1943 general election after marrying William Polson, National MP for Stratford. Despite this her election is seen as a milestone in women's suffrage in New Zealand.

References

1. ^ "No Contest". Evening Post, Volume CXXXII, Issue 141. 11 December 1941. p. 10. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19411211.2.54. Retrieved 14 August 2011. 
2. ^ "Mid-Canterbury Seat". Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 6. 8 January 1942. p. 10. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP19420108.2.139. Retrieved 14 August 2011.