A New Buller M.P.

Labour Party eyebrows must have risen to an almost alarming degree on the evening of July? when the provisional count in the Buller by-election was made known Captain Wallace Edward ("Bill") Rowling, a 35-year-old lecturer in economics at the University of Canterbury, who was the Labour candidate, was elected, but by a much slimmer election-night majority than that enjoyed by the late Mr C. F. Skinner, whose death made the by-election necessary. His majority, in fact, was lowered from 1402 to 294 - a surprise, to say the least, in an electorate recognised as a Labour stronghold. The votes Labour lost in this by-election went to the National Party candidate, Mr E. W. (Ernie) King, who increased his vote from 4543 to 4635. Mr P. H. Matthews, who again entered the Buller lists as Social Credit candidate, also suffered a slight decrease, which was in part gobbled up by Mr King.

Biggest surprise of the election was the reversal for Labour in Weatport where Captain Rowling's majority was only 162 compared with Mr Skinner's 1210 majority at the 1960 General Election. The poll was nearly 1500 lighter than in 1960.

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John R. Sharp, Motueka
Buller's new Member, Captain Rowling

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Mr Matthews: Social Credit

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Mr Ernie King: came very close