Tauranga by-election, 1923

Tauranga by-election, 1923

28 March 1921 (1921-03-28)

Turnout 7,630   Candidate Charles MacMillan Sir Joseph Ward Party Reform Liberal Popular vote 4,360 3,235

Member before election William Herries Reform Elected Member Charles MacMillan Reform

The Tauranga by-election of 1923 was a by-election during the 21st New Zealand Parliament in the Tauranga electorate. The seat became vacant due to the death of the sitting Member, William Herries.^[1] The election was held on 28 March 1923 and won by Charles MacMillan, who defeated the former prime minister Joseph Ward.^[2]

Background

Two candidates contested the seat. The first was Charles MacMillan, a former Mayor of Tauranga (1915–1917. MacMillan represented the Reform Party and was put forward by the party to succeed Herries.^[3] The other candidate was Sir Joseph Ward, a former Liberal party Prime Minister.^[4]

The Labour Party took a keen interest in the by-election. Leader Harry Holland was fearful that Ward's return to Parliament might result in a revival of the Liberals, delaying Labour's rise as the main left-wing party. As a result he sought to stand a candidate to split the anti-Reform vote. He was overruled however, by the party executive citing the lack of any established branches within the electorate and the possibility of a poor showing by the candidate damaging party morale and credibility.^[5]

Result

MacMillan won the by-election;^[6] Ward's defeat was humiliating to him.^[4]

MacMillan remained as Tauranga's representative until his defeat at the 1935 election.^[6] Ward was thought to be a spent force,^[4] but he was returned to Parliament again in the 1925 election,^[8] and then went on to become Prime Minister again in 1928.^[9] He retired in 1930, and died soon after.^[4]

Notes

References

• Hislop, J. (1923). The General Election, 1922. Government Printer. Retrieved 20 November 2014. 
• O'Farrell, P.J. (1964). Harry Holland: Militant Socialist. Canberra, Australia: Australian National University Press. 
• Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. 
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103. 

Joseph Ward Premiership 1906–1912 1928–1930 General elections 1908 1911 1914 1919 1928 By-elections Awarua, 1897 Tauranga, 1923 Constituencies Awarua Invercargill Related articles Vincent Ward Ward baronets

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