New Zealand supplementary elections

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852 authorised the General Assembly to establish new electoral districts and to alter the boundaries of, or abolish, existing districts whenever this was deemed necessary. The rapid growth of New Zealand's European population in the early years of representative government (particularly in Otago) meant changes to electoral districts were implemented frequently, both at general elections, and on four occasions as supplementary elections within the lifetime of a parliament.

1859 supplementary election

The Electoral Districts Act 1858^[1] established four new electorates; Marsden and Wairarapa in the North Island, and Cheviot and Wallace in the South Island. Elections were held from 7 November to 18 December 1859 during the term of the 2nd New Zealand Parliament and required redrawing of the electoral boundaries of Bay of Islands, Northern Division, Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay (renamed as County of Hawke), Wairau, Christchurch Country and Dunedin Country electorates.

Results

Wairarapa

The Wairarapa election was won unopposed by Charles Carter on 7 November 1859.^[2]

Marsden

The Marsden election was won by James Farmer on 29 November 1859.

On nomination day (21 November) James Farmer and John Munro were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Farmer, Munro demanded a poll. James Farmer was subsequently elected the following week, although voting figures are currently unknown.^[3]

Wallace

The Wallace election was won unopposed by Dillon Bell on 30 November 1859.^[4]

Cheviot

The Cheviot election was won unopposed by Edward Jollie on 18 December 1859.^[5]

1863 supplementary election

The Representation Act 1862^[6] added two new electorates and four additional MPs to Otago Province in the South of the South Island. Gold Fields electorate was overlaid over the entire province, and the electorates of Bruce and City of Dunedin were substantially redrawn, with City of Dunedin disappearing and two new electorates, Dunedin and Suburbs North and Dunedin and Suburbs South replacing it. Elections were held from 28 March to 14 April 1863. All electorates before and after changes returned two members, with each of the previous incumbents in City of Dunedin being assigned an incumbency in one of the Dunedin Suburbs electorates although Thomas Dick resigned before taking up his entitlement in Dunedin and Suburbs North.

Results

Dunedin and Suburbs North

The Dunedin and Suburbs North election was won unopposed by John Richardson on 28 March 1863.^[7]

Dunedin and Suburbs South

The Dunedin and Suburbs South election was won by William Reynolds on 6 April 1863.

On nomination day (2 April) Reynolds, William Cutten and Julius Vogel were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Reynolds, Cutten and Vogel demanded a poll. Reynolds was subsequently elected the following week.

Gold Fields

The Gold Fields election returned two members, and was won unopposed by William Baldwin and George Brodie on 14 April 1863.^[9]

1868 supplementary election

The Westland Representation Act 1867^[10] introduced changes to the Waimea and Westland electorates. Their areas were reassigned and four electorates formed. Waimea lost some area, but continued to exist. Westland was abolished in 1867. A new electorate Westland Boroughs (comprising the towns of Greymouth and Hokitika) was established, and the Act stipulated that the sitting Westland member, William Sefton Moorhouse, was transferred to it. Other new electorates, Westland North and Westland South held elections from 3–9 April 1868.

Results

Westland South

The Westland South election was won by Edmund Barff on 6 April 1868.

On nomination day (30 March) Barff and Charles Button were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Button, a poll was demanded.^[11] Edmund Barff was subsequently elected the following week.

Westland North

The Westland North election was won by Timothy Gallagher on 9 April 1868.

On nomination day (4 April) Gallagher, George Donne, and George Horne were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Horne, Donne demanded a poll. Timothy Gallagher was subsequently elected the following week.

1868 Māori election

The Maori Representation Act 1867^[16] established four electorates to represent the indigenous Māori population. The European (or General) electorates at the time only enfranchised adult males who were the owners of freehold or leasehold land, and as Māori land was generally communally owned under customary title this put them outside the definitions of the Constitution Act, and unable to register to vote. Elections to the four electorates; Eastern Maori, Northern Maori, Southern Maori and Western Maori were held on or around 15 April 1868.

References

By-elections in New Zealand in the pre-party era (1853–1890)   » (1891–1911) » 1st Parliament Nelson, 1854 Waimea, 1854 City of Auckland, 1854 2nd Parliament Motueka and Massacre Bay, 1856 Christchurch Country, 1856 Grey and Bell, 1856 Christchurch, 1856 Hutt, 1856 Auckland, 1858 Pensioner Settlements, 1858 Southern Division, 1858 Grey and Bell, 1858 Waimea, 1858 Wairau, 1858 Town of Lyttelton, 1858 Akaroa, 1858 Dunedin Country, 1858 Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay, 1858 Wellington, 1858 Wellington Country, 1858 Hutt, 1858 Dunedin, 1859 Supplementary elections, 1859 Cheviot Marsden Wairarapa Wallace 2nd Parliament (continued) Waimea, 1859 Christchurch, 1860 Suburbs of Auckland, 1860 Dunedin Country, 1860 Christchurch Country, 1860 Auckland, 1860 Omata, 1860 County of Hawke, 1860 Northern Division, 1860 Grey and Bell, 1860 3rd Parliament Grey and Bell, 1861 Suburbs of Nelson, 1861 Napier, 1861 Wanganui, 1861 Dunedin, 1862 New Plymouth, 1862 Ellesmere, 1862 Avon, 1862 Heathcote, 1862 Auckland West, 1862 Bruce, 1862 Hampden, 1862 Supplementary elections, 1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North Gold Fields 3rd Parliament (continued) Dunedin and Suburbs South, 1863 Hampden, 1863 Kaiapoi, 1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North, 1863 New Plymouth, 1863 Heathcote, 1863 Akaroa, 1863 Franklin, 1864 New Plymouth, 1864 Waimea, 1864 Bruce, 1865 Raglan, 1865 Parnell, 1865 New Plymouth, 1865 Gold Fields, 1865 Rangitiki, 1865 Omata, 1865 Wairarapa, 1865 4th Parliament Mount Herbert, 1866 Port Chalmers, 1866 Dunedin, 1867 City of Christchurch, 1867 Avon, 1867 Manuherikia, 1867 Wanganui, 1867 New Plymouth, 1867 Auckland West, 1867 Raglan, 1867 Parnell, 1867 Port Chalmers, 1867 Waimea, 1867 Lyttelton, 1867 Kaiapoi, 1867 Picton, 1867 Pensioner Settlements, 1867 Ashley, 1867 Collingwood, 1868 Westland Boroughs, 1868 Supplementary elections, 1868 Westland North Westland South First Māori elections Eastern Maori Northern Maori Southern Maori Western Maori 4th Parliament (continued) Avon, 1868 Picton, 1868 Rangitiki, 1868 Franklin, 1868 Waikouaiti, 1868 Lyttelton, 1868 Timaru, 1868 Nelson, 1868 Marsden, 1869 Roslyn, 1869 Dunedin, 1869 Newton, 1869 Waikouaiti, 1869 New Plymouth, 1869 Wallace, 1869 Oamaru, 1869 Taieri, 1869 Bruce, 1870 Mongonui, 1870 Caversham, 1870 Parnell, 1870 Riverton, 1870 City of Christchurch, 1870 5th Parliament Auckland West, 1871 Roslyn, 1871 Wairau, 1872 Waikato, 1872 Wakatipu, 1872 Rodney, 1872 Nelson, 1872 Waikouaiti, 1872 Coleridge, 1872 Heathcote, 1872 Caversham, 1872 Egmont 1872 Suburbs of Nelson, 1873 Lyttelton, 1873 Invercargill, 1873 Waikouaiti, 1873 Mongonui and Bay of Islands, 1873 Wakatipu, 1873 Collingwood, 1873 Franklin, 1874 Akaroa, 1874 Dunedin, 1874 Waitemata, 1874 Waitemata,1874 Kaiapoi, 1875 Auckland West, 1875 Rangitikei, 1875 Waikouaiti, 1875 Wairau, 1875 Wallace, 1875 Caversham, 1875 6th Parliament Auckland West, 1876 Wanganui, 1876 Napier, 1877 Wellington, 1877 Totara, 1877 City of Auckland West, 1877 Wairarapa, 1877 Wellington, 1878 Timaru, 1878 Port Chalmers, 1878 Franklin, 1878 Cheviot, 1878 Grey Valley, 1878 Hokitika, 1878 Dunedin, 1878 Taieri, 1878 Invercargill, 1878 Waipa, 1878 Roslyn, 1878 Gladstone, 1879 Mataura, 1879 Nelson, 1879 Auckland West, 1879 Coleridge, 1879 Hutt, 1879 Eastern Maori, 1879 Southern Maori, 1879 Dunedin, 1879 7th Parliament Rangitikei, 1880 Waitaki, 1880 Waikaia, 1880 Suburbs of Nelson, 1881 Southern Maori, 1881 Nelson, 1881 Grey Valley, 1881 8th Parliament Franklin North, 1882 Wakanui, 1882 Stanmore, 1882 Peninsula, 1883 Selwyn, 1883 Inangahua, 1883 Bruce, 1883 Selwyn, 1884 Thorndon, 1884 Kaiapoi, 1884 East Coast, 1884 9th Parliament Oamaru, 1885 Tauranga, 1885 Waimea, 1885 Southern Maori, 1885 Wakanui, 1885 Bruce, 1885 Sydenham, 1886 Dunedin Central, 1886 Waitemata, 1886 Western Maori, 1886 Heathcote, 1887 Port Chalmers, 1887 Te Aro, 1887 Northern Maori, 1887 Avon, 1887 10th Parliament Ashley, 1888 Lincoln, 1889 Nelson, 1889 Christchurch North, 1889 Oamaru, 1889 Waipa, 1889 East Coast, 1889 Timaru, 1890