Election of first National government

The Labour Party, led by Peter Fraser, was defeated by Sidney Holland’s National Party after 14 years in office. The election result heralded a long period of National dominance, with the party holding power for 29 of the next 35 years.

In 1935 Labour had won a landslide victory over the conservative coalition which had held office during the Depression. The Labour government led by Michael Joseph Savage until his death in 1940 is best remembered for its landmark social welfare reforms, especially the Social Security Act of 1938 and the state housing scheme.

The second phase of the first Labour government was dominated by the Second World War. Savage’s successor, Fraser, was involved in the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, and some argued he was distracted by events overseas.

By the time of the 1946 election it was clear that Labour’s hold on power was under threat. The National Party, which had been formed in 1936 by merging the Reform and United parties, was mounting a credible challenge under Holland’s energetic leadership. Fraser, in contrast, seemed jaded and was in poor health. Voters were growing tired of the continuation of wartime shortages and restrictions. Despite this, Labour held on for a narrow victory, bolstered by its control of the four Māori seats.

By 1949 National’s promise of a new era of prosperity and freedom was increasingly attractive to many New Zealanders. Its pledge to retain most of Labour’s social welfare policies reassured many voters. Fraser’s government was defeated by a margin of 12 seats. This election was also notable for being the last in which voting in the four Māori seats took place the day before the general poll.

Image: National Party poster, 1949 (National Library)