1886 Western Maori by-election

The 1886 Western Maori by-election was a by-election held in the Western Maori electorate during the 9th New Zealand Parliament, on 23 December 1886. The by-election was caused by the death of the incumbent, Te Puke Te Ao, and was won by Hoani Taipua.

Polling places for the 1886 Western Maori by-election

Background

Te Ao had won the Western Maori electorate in the 1884 election; it had been the first time that he had stood in a general election.^[1] Te Ao died in October 1886.^[2] This triggered the by-election, which was held on 23 December 1886.^[3]

The election

The nomination meeting was held on 2 December 1868 at the court house in Wanganui, with George Thomas Wilkinson^[4] presiding as the returning officer.^[5] The candidates were nominated in the following order: Hoani Taipua, Ngawaka Taurua, Henare Kaihau of Waiuku, Wiremu Te Wheoro, and Sydney Taiwhanga.^[6] The show of hands was strongly in favour of Hoani Taipua, and Te Wheoro demanded a poll, for which 23 December was set.^[6]

The by-election was a decisive win for Hoani Taipua, who gained an absolute majority of the votes, and had a 33% lead over the second-placed candidate, Wiremu Te Wheoro.^[7] Te Wheoro had previously represented the electorate, from 1879 until his defeat in the 1884 election.^[8] Taipua went on to represent the electorate until his retirement at the 1893 election.^[9]

Election results

1884 election

See also: Western Maori § 1884 election

The 1884 general election was contested by eight candidates in the Western Maori electorate.

1886 by-election

1886 Western Maori by-election^[7][10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Hoani Taipua	1,258	56.67
	Independent	Wiremu Te Wheoro	519	23.38	+12.40
	Independent	Henare Kaihau	225	10.14	+0.43
	Independent	Sydney Taiwhanga	148	6.67	+1.14
	Independent	Ngawaka Taurua	70	3.15
Majority			739	33.29	+28.19
Turnout			2,220

Notes

1. Wilson 1985, p. 180.
2. Scholefield 1940a, p. 17.
3. Wilson 1985, p. 238.
4. Scholefield 1940b, pp. 509f.
5. "Election Notice". Wanganui Chronicle. Vol. XXIX, no. 11413. 1 December 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
6. "The Western Maori Electoral District". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XX, no. 6087. 2 December 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
7. "Wanganui Herald". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XXI, no. 6117. 11 January 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
8. Wilson 1985, p. 245.
9. Wilson 1985, p. 239.
10. "The Western Maori Election". The Evening Post. Vol. XXXII, no. 191. 30 December 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2014.

References

• Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L (PDF). Vol. I. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
• Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : M–Addenda (PDF). Vol. II. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.