Christchurch mayoral election, 1878

Christchurch mayoral election, 1878

27 November 1878
Candidate Charles Thomas Ick Henry Thomson Party Independent Independent Popular vote 601 343 Percentage 63.67 36.33
Mayor before election Henry Thomson Elected Mayor Charles Thomas Ick

The Christchurch mayoral election held on 27 November 1878 was contested by the incumbent mayor, Henry Thomson, and senior Christchurch City Councillor Charles Thomas Ick. The election was won by Ick with a large margin.

Background

Initially, councillors elected one of their own as mayor towards the end of the year, and the role was usually awarded to the most senior councillor. The system changed with the introduction of The Municipal Corporations Acts Amendment Act, 1875, as that legislation stipulated that mayors had to be elected at large (i.e. by eligible voters).^[1] The 1875 was won unopposed by the incumbent,^[2] and the 1876 election was the first that was put to public vote.^[3] The 1878 election was the third mayoral election where eligible ratepayers voted. The incumbent, Henry Thomson, was first elected in 1877.^[4]

One of the Christchurch newspapers, The Star, ran a vigorous campaign against Ick.^[5][6][7] The source of their editor's objection was Ick's alignment with former mayor William Wilson. Wilson was evidently a capable men, but his reputation was seriously dented when he lost a fraud case on all counts.^[8][9][10] Wilson stood for election to the city council once more earlier in 1878 and upon being elected, five city councillors resigned in protest, including George Ruddenklau, James Jameson, and Alexander William Bickerton.^[11][12][13]

Candidates

Henry Thomson

Henry Thomson was born in Scotland in 1828. He emigrated to Australia in 1852, came to New Zealand in 1856, and settled in Christchurch in 1865. He worked as a jeweller for his father-in-law. He was also a manager for the railways.^[14] Thomson was elected onto the town and later city council in 1867, 1868, and 1875, before being elected mayor in 1877.^[15]

Charles Thomas Ick

Charles Thomas Ick came to Dunedin in 1858, where he was in business as a mercer and draper.^[16] He farmed in Waikouaiti between 1863 and 1870, when he came to Christchurch and established himself as an auctioneer.^[17] He held various public offices while living in Waikouaiti^[17] and was elected onto the Christchurch city council in 1872,^[18] 1874, and 1877.^[15] Ick contested the 1876 mayoral election but was defeated by James Gapes.^[19]

Election

Ick was nominated by former mayors Henry Sawtell and James Gapes. Thomson was nominated by former mayors Andrew Duncan and James Jameson.^[20] George Leslie Lee acted as the returning officer. Ick won the election by a large margin.^[21]

A year later, Ick won the 1879 mayoral election against Aaron Ayers and Gapes.^[22] Ick did not stand again in 1880,^[23] and was succeeded by James Gapes.^[24]

References

Mayors of Christchurch
Chairman	John Hall John Ollivier Isaac Luck Edward Bishop William Wilson
Mayors	elected by councillors William Wilson John Anderson Andrew Duncan James Jameson Henry Sawtell Edward Bishop Michael Hart Fred Hobbs elected at large Fred Hobbs James Gapes Henry Thomson Charles Thomas Ick James Gapes (2nd) George Ruddenklau Charles Hulbert Aaron Ayers Charles Louisson Samuel Manning Charles Gray William Prudhoe Eden George Thomas Gapes Walter Cooper Harry Joseph Beswick Walter Cooper (2nd) Charles Louisson (2nd) William Reece Arthur Rhodes Henry Wigram Charles Mathew Gray (2nd) John Hall George Payling Charles Allison Thomas Taylor John Joseph Dougall1 Henry Holland Henry Thacker James Arthur Flesher Rev John Archer Dan Sullivan John Beanland Robert Macfarlane Ernest Andrews Robert Macfarlane (2nd) George Manning Ron Guthrey Neville Pickering Hamish Hay Vicki Buck Garry Moore Bob Parker Lianne Dalziel
Mayoral elections	annual term 1875† 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882† 1883 1884† 1885† 1886 1887† 1888† 1889† 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897† 1898† 1899† 1901† 1902† 1903† 1904† 1905 1906† 1907† 1908 1909 1910† 1911 1912 1913 1914 biennial term 1915 1917 1919 1921 1923 1925 1927 1929 1931 1933 triennial term 1935 1936‡ 1938 1941 1944 1947 1950 1953 1956 1958‡ 1959 1962 1965 1968 1971 1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001 2004 2007 2010 2013 2016
† Elected unopposed ‡ By-election 1 appointed following death of incumbent