William Sheat represented the Patea electorate between 1943 and 1954[1] as a National MP, and as an independent, but in 1954, he failed to win reselection as a National Party candidate after boundary changes. On 14 May of that year, he promptly resigned his seat and won it back in the by-election as an Independent. He subsequently did not stand in the 1954 general election but was returned to Parliament in the 1957 election as the MP for Egmont and he retired at the 1966 election.
The writ for the by-election was originally issued on 3 June, but on 12 June Harry Combs (MP for Onslow) died,[2] necessitating a second by-election. The government preferred both by-elections to held at the same time so in order to postpone the Patea poll the government passed the Patea By-election Act 1954. However, as the Labour candidate in Onslow (Henry May) was unopposed he was declared elected when the writs closed, on 7 July.
The final vote count[3] included 436 special votes, which were not included in the election-night results. Sheat's majority of 24 on election night was only 18 after the final count.
Norton, Clifford (1988). New Zealand parliamentary election results, 1946–1987. Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington Department of Political Science. ISBN0-475-11200-8. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC154283103. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
