Fifteen additional South Island electorates were created, including Clutha, and the number of Members of Parliament was increased by 13 to 70.
The electorate was represented by ten Members of Parliament:[3] Key Independent Liberal Conservative Reform National On 26 November 1957, Bruce Waters, the Labour candidate for Clutha was admitted to Balclutha Public Hospital after a car collision.
Due to this development the National and Social Credit candidates cancelled their remaining campaign meetings.
[12] Labour selected Joseph Fahey, a farmer from Lawrence, as Waters' replacement to contest the seat on 20 December.
[13] When the election was finally held, National candidate James Roy won by a margin of 2,172 votes.