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"Rangitikei finally becomes true blue"

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Description: This image was taken by the Evening Standard on Saturday 15th of August 1987 and was published on Monday the 17th. It depicts New Zealand Democratic Party leader Bruce Beetham on election night in 1987.

The caption read: “BRUCE BEETHAM watches as television confirms the loss of fellow Democrats Garry Knapp in East Coast Bays and Neil Morrison in Pakuranga. Photo Mark Mitchell.”

The article "Rangitikei finally becomes true blue" was written by Nadya Kooznetzoff.

“SATURDAY’s election saw the final transition of Rangitikei from a Democrat stronghold to a safe blue ribbon seat.

Last election the seat teetered in favour of National's Denis Marshall with a 500 majority. This time it fell with a thud.

An air of subdued satisfaction marked the National Party celebrations at Feilding’s Senior Citizens Hall on Saturday night as early voting results indicated a sure second term for Mr Marshall, while television brought news that the country looked to be in store for another three years under Labour.

Final election night result showed Mr Marshall had resisted Democrat Bruce Beetham’s bid to regain the seat with a strengthened majority of 3607 votes.

Mr Marshall polled 8677 while Mr Beetham took 5075 Labour’s David Shroj came third with 2919 while No Confidence candidate Harold Jensen won 75 votes and McGillicuddy Serious Party candidate Gerard Martin 63.

By 8pm on Saturday when Feilding results came in showing Mr Beetham had lost ground in one of his traditionally strong areas the former Social Credit leader grimly admitted the trend in favour of Dennis Marshall was clear and a comeback would be very difficult.

At 9pm he arrived at National Party headquarters to concede defeat and congratulate Mr Marshall.

Mr Marshall later told the Evening Standard he believed the absolutely devastating effect of the Labour Government s policies on the whole region was the main reason for his increased majority.

Mr Beetham told the Evening Standard he was naturally very disappointed about the results in what was his electorate for six and a half years. But he did not feel any sense of traumatic loss.

He believed his leadership defeat to Neil Morrison last year, after 15 years as Social Credit leader clearly had an effect on the result.

It was inevitable that the electorate to some extent would reflect the party’s downgrading of my position. And if the party did’ t think that was going to happen then it was being terribly naïve.

But before the election he was predicting a closer run between he and Mr Marshall and too puts the end result down to a polarisation in voting.

Asked if he would stand again in the electorate Mr Beetham said he hadn't even begun to think about the future.

Labours David Shroj said he was very happy with the degree of support for him on Saturday considering he was the second-to-last Labour candidate to be selected in the country and that he was a first time candidate.”