Electoral district of Goldfields North

Goldfields North was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales from 1859 to 1880, including the goldfields within several northern electorates. Rolls were not kept for goldfields seats, voters being able to establish their right to vote by presenting either a mining licence or business licence in a proclaimed gold field that had been held for at least six months. Voters could also appear on the roll for general districts, but were prevented from voting in both their resident general district and the overlaying goldfields district.[1] This meant that voters could vote tactically, if they felt their candidate was unopposed—as James Hoskins was in the 1860 election—or their preferred candidate was assured of election, they could vote in the other electorate.[2]

Members for Goldfields North

Member Party Period
  James Hoskins None 1859–1863
  James Buchanan None 1863–1864
  George Pickering None 1865–1868
  James Hoskins None 1868–1869
  Robert Wisdom None 1870–1870
  Robert Forster None 1870–1872
  James Rodd None 1872–1874
  Robert Forster None 1875–1877
  Henry Copeland None 1877–1880

Notes

  1. Clune, David; Antony Green and Michael Hogan (eds) (2007). The Electoral Atlas of New South Wales. New South Wales Department of Lands. ISBN 0-9752354-2-7.
  2. Caldwell, John (1958). New England Politics 1856–1865. Unpublished BA thesis.