Christchurch South was a parliamentary electorate

New Zealand electorates

An electorate is a voting district for elections to the Parliament of New Zealand. In informal discussion, electorates are often called seats. The most formal description, electoral district, is rarely seen outside of electoral legislation. Before 1996, all Members of Parliament were directly...

 in the city of Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, New Zealand from 1881 to 1890 and then from 1905 to 1946.

History

The electorate was represented by five Members of Parliament.

The 1939 Christchurch South by-election held on 3 June was caused by the death of Ted Howard during the term of the 26th New Zealand Parliament. On nomination day, two candidates were put forward: Robert Macfarlane

Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand)

Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:...

 for the Labour Party

New Zealand Labour Party

The New Zealand Labour Party is a New Zealand political party. It describes itself as centre-left and socially progressive and has been one of the two primary parties of New Zealand politics since 1935....

 and Melville Lyons

Melville Lyons

Melville Edwin Lyons , sometimes called Tiny, was briefly a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand until his election was declared void. A journalist by trade, he became involved in local politics in Christchurch after having served in WWI...

 for the National Party

New Zealand National Party

The New Zealand National Party is the largest party in the New Zealand House of Representatives and in November 2008 formed a minority government with support from three minor parties.-Policies:...

. Mabel Howard

Mabel Howard

|-...

, Ted Howard's daughter, had hoped to be put forward by the Labour Party, and she was endorsed by the local branch of the party. The national executive of the Labour Party chose Macfarlane, and Howard believed that she was opposed by the party's hierarchy due to her connections to John A. Lee

John A. Lee

John Alfred Alexander Lee DCM was a New Zealand politician and writer. He is one of the more prominent avowed socialists in New Zealand's political history.-Early life:...

, who was seen as a radical within the party. The chosen candidate, Macfarlane, had been Mayor of Christchurch

Mayor of Christchurch

The Mayor of Christchurch is the head of the municipal government of Christchurch, New Zealand, and presides over the Christchurch City Council. The mayor is directly elected using a First Past the Post electoral system...

 since the previous year. Macfarlane was the successful candidate.

Election results

Key

Election	Winner
		John Holmes John Holmes (New Zealand) John Holmes was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Christchurch in the Canterbury Region, New Zealand.He represented the Christchurch South electorate from 1881 to 1887, when he retired.-References:...
		Westby Brook Perceval Westby Brook Perceval Sir Westby Brook Perceval was a New Zealand politician of the Liberal Party.-Biography:Perceval was born in Launceston, Tasmania, and educated at Christ's College, and at Stonyhurst College in England. He married Jessie Johnston in 1880...
(Electorate abolished 1890–1905, see City of Christchurch Christchurch (New Zealand electorate) Christchurch was a parliamentary electorate in Christchurch, New Zealand. It existed three times. Originally it was the Town of Christchurch from 1853 to 1860. From the 1860–61 election to the 1871 election, it existed as City of Christchurch. It then existed from the 1875–76 election until the... )
		Harry Ell
		Ted Howard
		Robert Macfarlane Robert Macfarlane (New Zealand) Sir Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, KCMG was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was a Member of Parliament, served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and was a Mayor of Christchurch.-Local body politics:...