1896 New Zealand general election

The 1896 New Zealand general election was held on Wednesday, 4 December in the general electorates, and on Thursday, 19 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 13th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 337,024 (76.1%) voters turned out to vote.^[1]

1896 general election

← 1893 4 (general) & 19 December (Māori) 1896 1899 →
← outgoing members members →
All 74 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives 38 seats were needed for a majority
Turnout	76.1%
First party Second party   Leader Richard Seddon William Russell Party Liberal Conservative Leader since 28 April 1893 26 June 1894 Leader's seat Westland Hawke's Bay Last election 51 seats, 57.8% 13 seats, 24.5% Seats won 39 26 Seat change 12 13 Popular vote 184,650 114,574 Percentage 54.8% 34.0% Swing 3.0% 9.5%
Results of the election.
Premier before election Richard Seddon Liberal Subsequent Premier Richard Seddon Liberal

1896 was the year the limit of £200 was placed on each candidate's campaign spending.

Background

The Liberal government campaigned on a platform that the election was between the people and the "selfish few". The economy stagnated, raising unemployment, which caused support for the Liberals to fall in the cities and they lost many seats, though not enough to be removed from office by the Conservatives. In rural areas, the swing in support was not as large due to the public works and land settlement programmes helping to support the regions.^[2] In June 1896 Seddon had replaced Joseph Ward as Finance Minister whilst the latter had resigned after being declared temporarily bankrupt. As such Seddon himself took on the workload of the treasury making him more susceptible to opposition attacks over the economy. He proved to be a cautious financier, budgeting for surpluses while maintaining the spirit of self reliance his predecessor John Ballance had advocated.

Results

Party totals

The following table gives party strengths and vote distribution according to Wilson (1985), who records Maori representatives as Independents prior to the 1905 election.^[3]

Election results
Party		Candidates	Total votes	Percentage	Seats won	Change
	Liberal	81	184,650	54.78%	39	-12
	Conservative	70	114,574	33.99%	26	+13
	Independent	60	37,800	11.23%	9	-1

Votes summary

Popular Vote Liberal   54.78% Conservative   33.99% Independents   11.23%

Parliament seats Liberal   52.70% Conservative   35.13% Independents   12.16%

The table below shows the results of the 1896 general election:

Key

  Liberal   Conservative   Independent Liberal   Liberal–Labour   Independent

Electorate results for the 1896 New Zealand general election^[4][5][6][7]

Electorate	Incumbent		Winner		Majority	Runner up
General electorates
Ashburton		John McLachlan		Edward George Wright	242[8]		John McLachlan
Ashley		Richard Meredith			372[9]		Henry Fear Reece[10]
Auckland, City of		Thomas Thompson			2,516[11]		Arthur Rosser
		Charles Button		James Job Holland	1,622[11]
		William Crowther			1,328[11]
Avon		William Tanner			457[12]		George McIntyre[12]
Awarua		Joseph Ward			783[13]		Cuthbert Cowan[14]
Bay of Islands		Robert Houston			627[11]		John Press[15]
Bay of Plenty		William Kelly		William Herries	132[11]		William Kelly
Bruce		James Allen			1,059[13]		William Auld
Buller		Roderick McKenzie		Patrick O'Regan	292[16]		James Colvin[17]
Caversham		Arthur Morrison			1,178[13]		Thomas Sidey
Christchurch, City of		Charles Lewis			6,570[18]		William Whitehouse Collins
		George Smith			5,940[18]
		William Whitehouse Collins		Tommy Taylor	5,445[18]
Clutha		Thomas Mackenzie		James Thomson	903[13]		John Edie
Dunedin, City of		William Hutchison		Scobie Mackenzie	2,132[13]		David Pinkerton
		David Pinkerton		John A. Millar	547[13]
		William Earnshaw		Henry Fish	378[13]
Eden		Edwin Mitchelson		John Bollard	214[11]		Jackson Palmer
Egmont		Felix McGuire		Walter Symes	270[19]		William Monkhouse
Ellesmere		William Montgomery Jr.			564[20]		Frederick Arthur Anson[10]
Franklin		Benjamin Harris		William Massey	474[11]		Benjamin Harris
Geraldine	New electorate			Frederick Flatman	211[21]		Arthur Rhodes
Grey		Arthur Guinness			1,777[22]		Robert Francis Bell[22]
Hawera	New electorate			Felix McGuire	36[23]		Benjamin Robbins
Hawke's Bay		William Russell			833[24]		Alfred Fraser[25]
Invercargill		James Whyte Kelly[26]			578[27]		John Sinclair
Kaiapoi		David Buddo		Richard Moore	259[9]		David Buddo
Lyttelton	New electorate			John Joyce	446[28]		William Jacques
Manawatu	New electorate			John Stevens	71[29]		Robert Bruce[30]
Manukau		Maurice O'Rorke			215[11]		Frank Buckland
Masterton		Alexander Hogg			263[29]		Donald John Cameron[31]
Marsden		Robert Thompson[32][nb 1]			402[11]		Alfred H Mason[33]
Mataura		Robert McNab		George Richardson	201[27]		Robert McNab
Motueka	New electorate			Roderick McKenzie	126[34]		Richmond Hursthouse
Napier		Samuel Carnell		Douglas Maclean	747[24]		Samuel Carnell
Nelson		John Graham			343[35]		Jesse Piper
Oamaru		Thomas Duncan			771[36]		James Dickson Sievwright
Ohinemuri	New electorate			Alfred Cadman	2,037[11]		Edwin Edwards
Otaki		James Wilson		Henry Augustus Field	408[29]		Alfred Newman
Pahiatua	New electorate			John O'Meara	30[29]		Robert Manisty[37]
Palmerston		Frederick Pirani[nb 2]			50[29]		David Buick[38]
Parnell		Frank Lawry			470[11]		Samuel Vaile[39]
Patea		George Hutchison			605[29]		Arthur Remington
Rangitikei		John Stevens		Frank Lethbridge	271[29]		Walter A L Bailey[40][41]
Riccarton		George Warren Russell		William Rolleston	391[12]		George Warren Russell[nb 3]
Selwyn		Alfred Saunders		Cathcart Wason	182[43]		Alfred Saunders
Taieri		Walter Carncross			554[13]		John Graham[44]
Taranaki	New electorate			Henry Brown	97[19]		Edward Smith
Thames		James McGowan			323[45]		Edmund Taylor
Timaru		William Hall-Jones			640[46]		Francis Henry Smith
Tuapeka		William Larnach			21[13]		Charles Rawlins
Waiapu		James Carroll			368[24]		Cecil Fitzroy[47]
Waihemo		John McKenzie			554[13]		John Duncan
Waikato		Alfred Cadman		Frederic Lang	1,012[11]		Edward Walker
Waipawa		Charles Hall		George Hunter	211[24]		Charles Hall
Waikouaiti		James Green		Edmund Allen	761[13]		John J Ramsay
Wairarapa		Walter Clarke Buchanan			333[29]		J. T. Marryat Hornsby
Wairau		Lindsay Buick		Charles H. Mills	58[48]		Lindsay Buick[nb 4]
Waitaki		William Steward			999[51]		Duncan Sutherland
Waitemata		William Massey		Richard Monk	171[11]		Heathcote Jackman[52][53][54]
Wakatipu		William Fraser			335[27]		James George
Wallace		James Mackintosh		Michael Gilfedder	116[13]		Rev. Thomas Neave[55]
Wanganui		Archibald Willis		Gilbert Carson	84[29]		Archibald Willis
Wellington, City of		Robert Stout		Robert Stout[nb 5]	475[56]		Arthur Atkinson
		Francis Bell		John Hutcheson	580[56]
		John Duthie		George Fisher	28[56]
Wellington Suburbs		Alfred Newman		Thomas Wilford	252[29]		Thomas William Hislop
Westland		Richard Seddon			1,883[57]		Joseph Grimmond
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori		Wi Pere			1,744[58]		Tamati Tautuhi
Northern Maori		Hone Heke			1,316[59]		Eparaima Te Mutu Kapa
Southern Maori		Tame Parata			113[60]		Thomas Ellison[nb 6]
Western Maori		Ropata Te Ao		Henare Kaihau	731[58]		Ropata Te Ao

Table footnotes:

1. Robert Thompson was regarded as Liberal in the previous Parliament
2. Frederick Pirani was regarded as Liberal in the previous Parliament
3. George Warren Russell distanced himself from the Liberal Party and, together with Frederick Pirani, unsuccessfully tried to form the Radical Party^[42]
4. Lindsay Buick distanced himself from the Liberal Party and became an Independent Liberal-Labour candidate^[49][50]
5. Robert Stout was regarded as Liberal in the previous Parliament
6. The affiliation of Thomas Ellison, who is listed in most contemporary sources under his Māori name Tame Rangiwahia Erihana, is not known

The election of Thomas Wilford for the electorate of Suburbs of Wellington was declared void by an election petition on the grounds of corrupt and illegal practices. Charles Wilson was elected MP for that electorate following a by-election on 23 April 1897.

Summary of changes

• A boundary redistribution resulted in the abolition of seven seats:
  • Chalmers, held by John A. Millar
  • Inangahua, held by Patrick O'Regan
  • New Plymouth, held by Edward Smith
  • Pareora, held by Frederick Flatman
  • Rangitata, held by William Maslin
  • Waimea-Sounds, held by Charles Mills
  • Waipa, held by Frederic Lang
• At the same time, seven new seats came into being:
  • Geraldine
  • Hawera
  • Manawatu
  • Motueka
  • Ohinemuri
  • Pahiatua
  • Taranaki

Notes

1. "General elections 1853-2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2011.
2. Hamer 1988, p. 231.
3. Wilson 1985, pp. 287–289.
4. "The New Parliament". Hawke's Bay Herald. Vol. XXXI, no. 10478. 7 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
5. "The Elections". No. 5739. Christchurch: The Star. 5 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
6. "List of Candidates". No. 5733. Christchurch: The Star. 28 November 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
7. "The General Election". No. 1802. Dunstan Times. 18 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
8. "Public Notices". Ashburton Guardian. Vol. XVII, no. 4061. 7 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
9. "Election Notices". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9596. 10 December 1896. p. 8. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
10. "Electoral District of Ellesmere". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9585. 27 November 1896. p. 8. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
11. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
12. "Page 1 Advertisements Column 5". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9593. 7 December 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
13. "Otago". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
14. "The General Election". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9565. 4 November 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 7 February 2014.
15. "Interprovincial". North Otago Times. Vol. XXXVI, no. 8730. 18 November 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
16. "Nelson". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
17. "Buller Electoral District". Inangahua Times. Vol. XXI, no. 1092. 2 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
18. "Page 3 Advertisements Column 3". The Star. No. 5740. 7 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
19. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
20. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
21. "General Election". The Timaru Herald. Vol. LX, no. 2263. 8 December 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
22. "Electoral District of Grey". Grey River Argus. Vol. LVII, no. 9527. 11 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
23. "Electoral District of Hawera". Hawera & Normanby Star. Vol. XXXIII, no. 3418. 9 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
24. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
25. "To the Electors of Hawke's Bay". Hawke's Bay Herald. Vol. XXXI, no. 10465. 21 November 1896. p. 4. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
26. "The New Parliament". Otago Witness. No. 2232. 10 December 1896. p. 20. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
27. "Wakatipu Electoral District". No. 228. Christchurch: Mataura Ensign. 15 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
28. "Electoral District of Lyttelton". The Press. Vol. LIII, no. 9594. 7 December 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
29. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
30. "Electoral District of Manawatu". Manawatu Herald. 3 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
31. "Masterton Electorate". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XVI, no. 5497. 28 November 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
32. "The General Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 285. 1 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
33. "The National Association of New Zealand". Observer. Vol. XVI, no. 934. 5 December 1896. p. 14. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
34. "Page 2 Advertisements Column 2". Colonist. Vol. XL, no. 8744. 15 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
35. "The Nelson Election". Nelson Evening Mail. Vol. XXX, no. 292. 10 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 21 July 2011.
36. "Electoral District of Oamaru". The Oamaru Mail. Vol. XXI, no. 6763. 10 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
37. "Pahiatua Electorate". Wairarapa Daily Times. Vol. XVI, no. 5498. 30 November 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
38. "David Buick : Member of Parliament for Palmerston North 1908–1918" (PDF). New Zealand Parliament. Retrieved 19 December 2011.
39. "Electoral District of Parnell". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 284. 30 November 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 8 January 2014.
40. "Rangitikei Election". Vol. XVIII, no. 126. Feilding Star. 26 November 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
41. "Obituary". Vol. XIII, no. 3146. Feilding Star. 20 January 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
42. Rice, Geoffrey W. "Russell, George Warren". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 January 2014.
43. "Canterbury". Vol. XL, no. 8746. Colonist. 21 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 14 January 2014.
44. "Untitled". No. 5691. Christchurch: The Star. 9 October 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
45. "Electoral District of Thames". Thames Advertiser. Vol. XXVIII, no. 8607. 10 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
46. "Untitled". The Timaru Herald. Vol. LX, no. 2265. 10 December 1896. p. 1. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
47. "Notice of Nominations". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXIII, no. 7788. 27 November 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
48. "Wairau". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 305. 23 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
49. "Mr Buick as a Liberal". The Marlborough Express. Vol. XXXI, no. 272. 21 November 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
50. Traue, J. E. "Buick, Thomas Lindsay". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 23 December 2011.
51. "Electoral District of Waitaki". The Oamaru Mail. Vol. XXI, no. 6764. 11 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
52. "St Alban's Church (Anglican)". New Zealand Heritage List/Rārangi Kōrero. Heritage New Zealand. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
53. "Waitemata Electoral District". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 283. 28 November 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
54. "The Waitemata Election". Auckland Star. Vol. XXVII, no. 256. 29 October 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
55. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1905). "The Rev. Thomas Neave". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved 7 January 2014.
56. "A Mistake in the Wellington Vote". The Evening Post. 10 December 1896. p. 6. Retrieved 10 January 2014.
57. "Electoral District of Westland". West Coast Times. No. 10438. 17 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 13 January 2014.
58. "Untitled". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXIV, no. 7816. 4 January 1897. p. 2. Retrieved 16 January 2014.
59. "Untitled". Poverty Bay Herald. Vol. XXIII, no. 7810. 24 December 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
60. "Untitled". The Evening Post. Vol. LIII, no. 1. 2 January 1897. p. 4. Retrieved 15 January 2014.

References

• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
• Hamer, David A. (1988). The New Zealand Liberals: The Years of Power, 1891–1912. Auckland: Auckland University Press. ISBN 1 86940 014 3.