Caversham (New Zealand electorate)

Caversham was a parliamentary electorate in the city of Dunedin in the Otago region of New Zealand, from 1866 to 1908.

Population centres

In the 1865 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives focussed its review of electorates to South Island electorates only, as the Otago gold rush had caused significant population growth, and a redistribution of the existing population. Fifteen additional South Island electorates were created, including Caversham, and the number of Members of Parliament was increased by 13 to 70.^[1] The Caversham electorate covered an area similar to the former Dunedin and Suburbs South electorate.^[2] Settlements located in the electorate were the Dunedin suburb of Caversham, and Macandrew Bay, Broad Bay, and Portobello.^[3]

History

Caversham was first established in 1866 and abolished in 1890. It was recreated in 1893 and abolished again in 1908.^[4]

Arthur John Burns was the first representative, elected at the 1866 general election for the 4th New Zealand Parliament. He resigned before the end of the term in 1870. James McIndoe won the subsequent 1870 by-election, held on 25 April. He was defeated at the 1871 general election by Richard Cantrell. Cantrell resigned in the following year, and the subsequent 1872 by-election was won by William Tolmie. Before the end of the term, Tolmie died on 8 August 1875. The 20 August 1875 by-election was won by Robert Stout, who contested the City of Dunedin electorate a few months later at the 1875–76. James Seaton was successful in Caversham at that election, but he retired in 1879. William Barron represented the electorate from the 1879 general election until the seat was first abolished in 1890.^[5]

When the seat was recreated for the 1893 general election, Arthur Morrison was the successful candidate. He represented the electorate until he died on 21 November 1901. Thomas Sidey won the 1901 by-election and held the seat until it was abolished in 1908, when he was elected for the Dunedin South electorate instead.^[6]

Members of Parliament

Caversham was represented by nine Members of Parliament.^[5]

Key

  Independent   Liberal

Election	Winner
1866 election		Arthur John Burns
1870 by-election		James McIndoe
1871 election		Richard Cantrell
1872 by-election		William Tolmie
1875 by-election		Robert Stout
1875 election		James Seaton
1879 election		William Barron
1881 election
1884 election
1887 election
(Electorate abolished 1890–1893)
1893 election		Arthur Morrison
1896 election
1899 election
1901 by-election		Thomas Sidey
1902 election
1905 election
(Electorate abolished 1908)

Election results

1901 by-election

1901 Caversham by-election^[7][8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Thomas Sidey	1,620	35.58
	Liberal–Labour	William Earnshaw	1,515	33.27
	Labour	Patrick Hally	1,120	24.59
	Independent	Harry Bedford	149	3.27
	Conservative	William Henry Warren	122	2.67	−35.32
	Independent	John James Meikle	27	0.59
Majority			105	2.30
Turnout			4,553		−59

1899 election

1899 general election: Caversham^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arthur Morrison	2,860	62.01
	Conservative	William Henry Warren[10]	1,752	37.99
Majority			1,108	24.02
Turnout			4,612	74.98
Registered electors			6,151

1893 election

1893 general election: Caversham^[11][12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Arthur Morrison	1,335	51.70
	Independent	William Barron	1,199	46.44
	Conservative	George Munro	48	1.86
Majority			136	5.27
Turnout			2,582	73.79
Registered electors			3,499

1875 by-election

1875 Caversham by-election^[13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Robert Stout	232	52.37
	Independent	William Larnach	211	47.63
Majority			11	4.74
Turnout			443

1872 by-election

1872 Caversham by-election^[14][15][16]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	William Tolmie	217	58.65
	Independent	William Cutten	152	41.08
	Independent	James Crowe Richmond	1	0.27
Turnout			370
Majority			65	17.57

1871 election

1871 general election: Caversham^[17][18][19]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Richard Cantrell	165	55.00
	Independent	James McIndoe	107	35.67	−26.99
	Independent	James Gardner Scott	28	9.33
Majority			58	19.33
Turnout			300	44.38
Registered electors			676

1870 by-election

1870 Caversham by-election^[20]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	James McIndoe	146	62.66
	Independent	William Cutten	71	30.47
	Independent	John Graham	16	6.87
	Independent	William Robertson	9	3.86
Turnout			349
Majority			39	11.17

1866 election

1866 general election: Caversham^[1][21][22]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Arthur John Burns	88	48.62
	Independent	Richard Cantrell	47	25.97
	Independent	William Robertson	43	23.76
	Independent	James Gordon Stuart Grant	3	1.66
Majority			41	22.65
Turnout			181	43.51
Registered electors			416

Notes

1. McRobie 1989, p. 36.
2. McRobie 1989, pp. 35, 37.
3. McRobie 1989, p. 37.
4. Scholefield 1950, p. 155.
5. Wilson 1985, p. 260.
6. Wilson 1985, pp. 234, 260.
7. "The Caversham By-election". The Marlborough Express. Vol. XXXV, no. 295. 20 December 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 2 January 2016.
8. "Election Notices". Evening Star. No. 11729. 12 December 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
9. "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 3. Retrieved 1 November 2012.
10. "Electoral District of Caversham". Otago Daily Times. No. 11604. 12 December 1899. p. 6. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
11. "The General Election, 1893". National Library. 1894. p. 3. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
12. "The General Election". Otago Daily Times. 28 November 1893. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
13. "Caversham Election". The Evening Post. Vol. XII, no. 45. 21 August 1875. p. 2. Retrieved 23 January 2019.
14. "The Caversham Election". Otago Witness. No. 1083. 31 August 1872. p. 11.
15. "Dunedin". The Cromwell Argus. Vol. III, no. 146. 27 August 1872. p. 5.
16. "Caversham Election". Evening Star. No. 2975. 31 August 1872. p. 2. Retrieved 22 January 2019.
17. McRobie 1989, p. 40.
18. "Caversham nomination". Otago Witness. No. 999. 21 January 1871. p. 9. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
19. "The general elections". Evening Star. Vol. VIII, no. 2479. 26 January 1871. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
20. "Latest Telegrams: Caversham Election". The Star. No. 603. 28 April 1870. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
21. "The elections: nomination for Caversham". Otago Daily Times. No. 1312. 13 March 1866. p. 4. Retrieved 30 October 2019.
22. "Untitled". Otago Daily Times. No. 1316. 17 March 1866. p. 5. Retrieved 30 October 2019.

References

• McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
• Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 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.