Woodville (New Zealand electorate)

Woodville was a parliamentary electorate in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of New Zealand from 1887 to 1890.

Population centres

In the 1887 electoral redistribution, although the Representation Commission was required through the Representation Act 1887 to maintain existing electorates "as far as possible", rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Ten new electorates were created, including Woodville, and one former electorate was recreated.[1]

The electorate was based on the town of Woodville. The localities of Ormondville, Dannevirke, and Norsewood were in the northern part of the electorate.[2]

History

The Woodville electorate in the Manawatu-Wanganui Region of New Zealand was formed for the 1887 election.[3] The 1887 election was contested by William Cowper Smith, Horace Baker and William Wilson McCardle, who obtained 922, 761, and 452 votes, respectively. Smith was thus declared elected.[4]

Smith had since 1881 represented the Waipawa electorate. After the abolition of the Woodville electorate in 1890, he successfully contested the Waipawa electorate again in the 1890 election.[5] McCardle had in 1884 unsuccessfully contested the Wairarapa North electorate against George Beetham.[6]

Members of Parliament

Woodville was represented by one Member of Parliament.[3]

Key

 Independent  

Election Winner
1887 election William Cowper Smith

1887 election

General election, 1887: Woodville[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William Cowper Smith 922 43.19
Independent Horace Backer 761 35.64
Independent William Wilson McCardle 452 21.17
Majority 161 7.54
Turnout 2,135 65.98

Notes

  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 50–53.
  2. "Our Woodville Letter". The Evening Post. XXXIV (36). 11 August 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 30 June 2012.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Wilson 1985, p. 277.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  5. Wilson 1985, p. 235.
  6. "The General Election, 1884". National Library. 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 17 March 2012.

References