Christchurch Country was a parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury region of New Zealand from 1853 to 1860. It was thus one of the original 24 electorates used for the 1st New Zealand Parliament.
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The electorate covered the rural area outside of Christchurch; much of the Canterbury Region and the West Coast.[1]
The electorate was created for the first Parliament as a two-member electorate.[2]
The first election was held on 27 August 1853. James Stuart-Wortley and Edward Jerningham Wakefield were the first two representatives. Wakefield served until the end of the parliamentary term. Stuart-Wortley resigned on 18 July 1855. As Parliament was dissolved on 15 September 1855, no by-election was held to fill the vacancy.[3]
John Hall, one of the elected members, later became New Zealand's 12th Premier (1879–82).[4]
The electorate was represented by seven Members of Parliament.[2]
Election | Winners | |||
1853 election | Edward Jerningham Wakefield (Independent) | James Stuart-Wortley (Independent) | ||
1855 election | Dingley Askham Brittin (Independent) | John Hall (Independent) | ||
1856 by-election | John Ollivier (Independent)[5] | |||
1860 first by-election | Isaac Thomas Cookson (Independent) | |||
1860 second by-election | Charles Hunter Brown (Independent) |