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1887 New Zealand general election
General election in New Zealand
General election in New Zealand
| Field | Value | |
|---|---|---|
| election_name | 1887 general election | |
| country | New Zealand | |
| type | parliamentary | |
| ongoing | no | |
| previous_election | 1884 New Zealand general election | |
| previous_year | 1884 | |
| outgoing_members | 9th New Zealand Parliament | |
| next_election | 1890 New Zealand general election | |
| next_year | 1890 | |
| elected_members | 11th New Zealand Parliament | |
| seats_for_election | All 95 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives | |
| 48 seats were needed for a majority | ||
| election_date | 7 (Māori) & 26 (general) September 1887 | |
| elected_mps | elected members | |
| turnout | 67.1% | |
| image1 | [[File:Sir Harry Albert Atkinson, ca 1885.jpg | 150px]] |
| leader1 | Harry Atkinson | |
| leader_since1 | 1883 | |
| color1 | B8BFFE | |
| party1 | Conservatives | |
| leaders_seat1 | Egmont | |
| seats1 | 52 | |
| seat_change1 | 20 | |
| popular_vote1 | N/A | |
| percentage1 | N/A | |
| swing1 | N/A | |
| image2 | [[File:Robert Stout, 1885.jpg | 145px]] |
| leader2 | Robert Stout | |
| leader_since2 | 1884 | |
| color2 | FBEC5D | |
| party2 | Stout–Vogelites | |
| leaders_seat2 | Dunedin East (lost seat) | |
| seats2 | 34 | |
| seat_change2 | 23 | |
| popular_vote2 | N/A | |
| percentage2 | N/A | |
| swing2 | N/A | |
| title | Premier | |
| posttitle | Subsequent Premier | |
| before_election | Robert Stout | |
| after_election | Harry Atkinson | |
| before_party | Independent politician | |
| after_party | Independent politician |
48 seats were needed for a majority The 1887 New Zealand general election was held on 26 September to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes (67.1% turnout) were cast. In 5 seats there was only one candidate.
1887 electoral redistribution
The Representation Act 1887 had major implication for the procedure of revising electoral boundaries. The revision task was transferred from committees formed by MPs to a permanent Representation Commission. The act specified that a country quota of 18% be applied to all designated districts that excluded boroughs with a population above 2,000 people, and that all electorates were to have the same nominal population within a tolerance of 750 people. It was also stipulated that electoral boundaries were to be reviewed after each New Zealand census.
In the 1887 electoral redistribution, although the Representation Commission was required through the Representation Act 1887 to maintain existing electorates "as far as possible", rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Ten new electorates were created: , , , , , , , , , and . One former electorate, , was recreated.
1887 was the year the Independent Representation Commission was established to redraw electorate boundaries after each five-yearly population census. The country quota was reduced to 18%. A £10 candidate's deposit was introduced.
The Scarecrow Ministry
Main article: 1887–1891 Atkinson Ministry
The Stout-Vogel government had been soundly beaten. Only 34 returned members supported the government, whilst 52 opposition MPs were elected as well as nine independents. This led to much confusion in Wellington in September 1887 when the members gathered to form a government. John Bryce, William Rolleston and Robert Stout had all lost their seats. Sir John Hall said he was too old. Sir Julius Vogel's policies had been rejected by the voters.
So there was no alternative to Harry Atkinson, and after two weeks of negotiations he announced a ministry on 11 October. Only two ministers had served with him before. The Scarecrow Ministry was not expected to last, but did.
The years 1887 and 1888 were the worst of the Long Depression, and Atkinson cut salaries, raised loans and raised customs duties. He was not popular with the wealthy, but they feared the Opposition leaders Grey and Ballance even more. By 1890 Atkinson was too ill to make speeches in the House.
Results
The following table shows the results of the 1887 general election:
| Electorate | ||
|---|---|---|
| incumbent | Elected member | |
| defeated candidates | MP's term | |
| Bay of Islands | ||
| Held by R Hobbs | Richard Hobbs | Fourth |
| 2nd: John Lundon | ||
| Marsden | ||
| Held by E Mitchelson | Robert Thompson | First |
| 2nd: Joseph Dargaville | ||
| Rodney | ||
| Held by W Moat | William Moat | Second |
| 2nd: Jackson Palmer | ||
| 3rd: A Colbeck | ||
| 4th: J Hudson | ||
| Waitemata | ||
| Held by R Monk | Richard Monk | Second |
| 2nd: Reader Wood | ||
| Eden | ||
| Held by J Tole | Edwin Mitchelson | Third |
| 2nd: JA Connell | ||
| Newton | ||
| Held by T Peacock | Edward Withy | First |
| 2nd: Joseph Tole | ||
| 3rd: HT Garrett | ||
| Ponsonby | ||
| New electorate | Thomas Peacock | Third |
| 2nd: CS Wright | ||
| 3rd: E Cooper | ||
| Auckland North | ||
| Held by T Thompson | Thomas Thompson | Second |
| 2nd:Samuel Vaile | ||
| Auckland West | ||
| Held by J McM Dargaville | David Goldie | Second |
| 2nd:John Shera | ||
| 3rd: Edward W. Morrison | ||
| **** | ||
| New electorate | George Grey | Seventh |
| Unopposed | ||
| Parnell | ||
| Held by FJ Moss | Frederick Moss | Fifth |
| 2nd:Seymour Thorne George | ||
| Manukau | ||
| Held by GM O'Rorke | Maurice O'Rorke | Eighth |
| 2nd: SS Osborne | ||
| Franklin North | ||
| Held by Frank Buckland | Frank Lawry | First |
| 2nd: Frank Buckland | ||
| Franklin South | ||
| Held by E Hamlin | Ebenezer Hamlin | Fifth |
| 2nd: Benjamin Harris | ||
| 3rd: FB Kingsford | ||
| Coromandel | ||
| Held by A Cadman | Alfred Cadman | Third |
| 2nd: J Mackay | ||
| Thames | ||
| Held by W Fraser | William Fraser | Second |
| 2nd: James McGowan | ||
| 3rd: J Frater | ||
| Waikato | ||
| Held by JB Whyte | John Blair Whyte | Fourth |
| 2nd: GW Russell | ||
| Tauranga | ||
| Held by GB Morris | William Kelly | Second |
| 2nd: Richard John Gill | ||
| 3rd: H Kerr | ||
| **** | ||
| Held by E Lake | William Jackson | Second |
| 2nd: JB Teasdale | ||
| 3rd: D Maxwell | ||
| 4th: T Campbell | ||
| East Coast | ||
| Held by S Locke | Andrew Graham | First |
| 2nd: A McDonald | ||
| 3rd: MJ Gannon | ||
| Taranaki | ||
| Held by R Trimble | George Marchant | First |
| 2nd: Elliot | ||
| 3rd: R Trimble | ||
| 4th: T Kelly | ||
| New Plymouth | ||
| Held by O Samuel | Oliver Samuel | Second |
| 2nd: Edward Smith | ||
| 3rd: Edward Dockrill | ||
| Egmont | ||
| Held by HA Atkinson | Harry Atkinson | Eight |
| 2nd: Felix McGuire | ||
| Wanganui | ||
| Held by J Ballance | John Ballance | Fifth |
| 2nd: Gilbert Carson | ||
| Waitotara | ||
| Held by J Bryce | George Hutchinson | First |
| 2nd: John Bryce | ||
| 3rd: J Morgan | ||
| Napier | ||
| Held by JD Ormond | John Davies Ormond | Seventh |
| 2nd: Joseph Ivess | ||
| Hawkes Bay | ||
| Held by WR Russell | William Russell | Fourth |
| 2nd: A Desmond | ||
| Waipawa | ||
| Held by WC Smith | Thomas Tanner | First |
| 2nd:J Harker | ||
| 3rd:Fred Sutton | ||
| 4th: ARW Lascelles | ||
| Rangitikei | ||
| Held by RC Bruce | Robert Bruce | Second |
| 2nd: J Stevens | ||
| 3rd: F Arkwright | ||
| Manawatu | ||
| Held by DH Macarthur | Douglas Macarthur | Second |
| 2nd: GL West | ||
| Foxton | ||
| Held by J Wilson | James Wilson | Third |
| 2nd: ES Thynne | ||
| 3rd: Sanson | ||
| Woodville | ||
| New Electorate | William Smith | Third |
| 2nd: Horace Baker | ||
| 3rd: William Wilson McCardle | ||
| Masterton | ||
| New Electorate | George Beetham | Fifth |
| 2nd: Alexander Hogg | ||
| 3rd: RS Hawkins | ||
| Wairarapa | ||
| New Electorate | Walter Buchanan | Third |
| 2nd: Henry Bunny | ||
| Hutt | ||
| Held by HS Fitzherbert | Henry Fitzherbert | Second |
| 2nd: Thomas Mason | ||
| Wellington South and Suburbs | ||
| New Electorate | Charles Izard | First |
| 2nd: J Coombe | ||
| Thorndon | ||
| Held by A Newman | Alfred Newman | Third |
| 2nd: William McLean | ||
| Te Aro | ||
| Held by CJ Johnston | Andrew Stuart-Menteath | Second |
| 2nd: Francis Humphris Fraser | ||
| Wellington East | ||
| New Electorate | George Fisher | Second |
| 2nd: Robertson | ||
| 3rd: T Carter | ||
| Nelson | ||
| Held by H Levestam | Henry Levestam | Fourth |
| 2nd: Jesse Piper | ||
| 3rd: WB Gibbs | ||
| Waimea-Picton | ||
| New Electorate | Arthur Seymour | Fourth |
| 2nd: Joseph Harkness | ||
| 3rd: Charles H. Mills | ||
| Motueka | ||
| Held by R Hursthouse | John Kerr | Second |
| 2nd: Richmond Hursthouse | ||
| Buller | ||
| Held by EJ O'Conor | Eugene O'Conor | Third |
| 2nd: John Munro | ||
| Wairau | ||
| Held by H Dodson | Henry Dodson | Third |
| 2nd: George Henderson | ||
| 3rd: Sutherland John Macalister | ||
| Inangahua | ||
| Held by AA Stuart-Menteath | Richard Reeves | Third |
| Unopposed | ||
| Greymouth | ||
| Held by AR Guinness | Arthur Guinness | Second |
| 2nd: Joseph Petrie | ||
| Kumara | ||
| Held by R Seddon | Richard Seddon | Fourth |
| Unopposed | ||
| Hokitika | ||
| Held by J Bevan | Joseph Grimmond | First |
| 2nd: John Bevan | ||
| Cheviot | ||
| Held by JD Lance | James Lance | Second |
| 2nd: J Macfarlane | ||
| Ashley | ||
| Held by WF Pearson | William Pearson | Third |
| 2nd: RL Higgins | ||
| 3rd: JM Verrall | ||
| Kaiapoi | ||
| Held by E Richardson | Edward Richardson | Sixth |
| 2nd: Richard Moore | ||
| Avon | ||
| Held by L Harper | Edwin Blake | Second |
| 2nd: Edward George Wright | ||
| Linwood | ||
| New Electorate | Andrew Loughrey | First |
| 2nd: William Flesher | ||
| 3rd: Daniel Reese | ||
| 4th: JT Partridge | ||
| Heathcote | ||
| Held by F Jones | Frederic Jones | Second |
| 2nd: JH Hopkins | ||
| St Albans | ||
| Held By FJ Garrick | William Reeves | First |
| 2nd: Francis James Garrick | ||
| Christchurch North | ||
| Held by J Vogel | Julius Vogel | Sixth |
| 2nd: H Roberts | ||
| Christchurch South | ||
| Held by J Holmes | Westby Perceval | First |
| 2nd: A Ayers | ||
| 3rd: H Thomson | ||
| 4th: E George | ||
| Sydenham | ||
| Held by RM Taylor | Richard Taylor | Second |
| 2nd: John Crewes | ||
| Lyttelton | ||
| Held by H Allwright | John Joyce | First |
| 2nd: H Allwright | ||
| Akaroa | ||
| Held by W Montgomery | Alexander McGregor | First |
| 2nd: William Barnett | ||
| 3rd: George Armstrong | ||
| 4th: George Russell Joblin | ||
| 5th: Frederick Arthur Anson | ||
| 6th: John Edward Thacker | ||
| Lincoln | ||
| Held by AP O'Callaghan | Arthur O'Callaghan | Third |
| 2nd: Alfred Saunders | ||
| 3rd: John Davies Gilbert Enys | ||
| Selwyn | ||
| Held by E Wakefield | John Hall | Sixth |
| 2nd: John McLachlan | ||
| Ashburton | ||
| Held by WC Walker | William Campbell Walker | Second |
| 2nd: Charles Purnell | ||
| Rangitata | ||
| New Electorate | Searby Buxton | First |
| 2nd: William Rolleston | ||
| 3rd: William Palmer | ||
| Timaru | ||
| Held by R Turnbull | Richard Turnbull | Fifth |
| 2nd: Edward George Kerr | ||
| Gladstone | ||
| Held by JH Sutter | Arthur Rhodes | First |
| 2nd: Jeremiah Twomey | ||
| 3rd: F Franks | ||
| Waimate | ||
| Held by WJ Steward | William Steward | Fourth |
| 2nd: John Manchester | ||
| 3rd: Charles G Clarke | ||
| Waitaki | ||
| Held by TY Duncan | Thomas Duncan | Third |
| 2nd: John Reid | ||
| Oamaru | ||
| Held by TW Hislop | Thomas Hislop | Fourth |
| 2nd: William Henry Frith | ||
| 3rd: John Church | ||
| Waihemo | ||
| New Electorate | John McKenzie | Third |
| 2nd: John Buckland | ||
| Dunedin West | ||
| Held by WD Stewart | William Stewart | Fourth |
| 2nd: Thomas Dick | ||
| Port Chalmers | ||
| Held by J Mills | James Mills | Second |
| 2nd: James Green | ||
| Dunedin East | ||
| Held by R Stout | James Allen | First |
| 2nd: Robert Stout | ||
| Dunedin Central | ||
| Held by T Bracken | Frederick Fitchett | First |
| 2nd: Edward Cargill | ||
| Dunedin South | ||
| Held by J Gore | Henry Fish | Second |
| 2nd: James Gore | ||
| Roslyn | ||
| Held by AH Ross | Archibald Hilson Ross | Second |
| 2nd: William Hutchinson | ||
| 3rd: Walter Carlton | ||
| Peninsula | ||
| Held by W Larnach | William Larnach | Fourth |
| 2nd: Thomas Begg | ||
| Caversham | ||
| Held by W Barron | William Barron | Fourth |
| 2nd: Robert Rutherford | ||
| Taieri | ||
| Held by J Fulton | James Fulton | Fourth |
| 2nd: W Carncross | ||
| Mount Ida | ||
| Held by S Mackenzie | Scobie Mackenzie | Second |
| 2nd: Owen Hodge | ||
| Bruce | ||
| Held by D Reid | Crawford Anderson | First |
| 2nd: Donald Reid | ||
| Tuapeka | ||
| Held by J Brown | James Brown | Seventh |
| 2nd: James Bennet | ||
| Dunstan | ||
| Held by V Pyke | Vincent Pyke | Sixth |
| Unopposed | ||
| Clutha | ||
| Held by JW Thomson | Thomas Mackenzie | First |
| 2nd: James William Thomson | ||
| Waikaia | ||
| New electorate | Hugh Valentine | First |
| 2nd: Francis Wallace Mackenzie | ||
| 3rd: FS Canning | ||
| Mataura | ||
| Held by GF Richardson | George Richardson | Second |
| 2nd: James Mackintosh | ||
| Hokonui | ||
| Held by C Cowan | Cuthbert Cowan | Third |
| 2nd: Alfred Baldey | ||
| Wakatipu | ||
| Held by T Fergus | Thomas Fergus | Third |
| Unopposed | ||
| Wallace | ||
| Held by H Hirst | Samuel Hodgkinson | Second |
| 2nd: Henry Hirst | ||
| 3rd: John McIntyre | ||
| 4th: Theophilus Daniel | ||
| Invercargill | ||
| Held by J Hatch | Henry Feldwick | Third |
| 2nd: Henry Jaggers | ||
| 3rd: Joseph Hatch | ||
| 4th: Cyril Tanner | ||
| 5th: John Walker Mitchell | ||
| Awarua | ||
| Held by James Parker Joyce | Joseph Ward | First |
| 2nd: George Froggart | ||
| 3rd: James Walker Bain | ||
| Northern Maori | ||
| Held by W Katene | Sydney Taiwhanga | First |
| 2nd: Wi Katene | ||
| 3rd: Peotipi | ||
| 4th: Kereraru | ||
| 5th: Tomoro Kingi | ||
| 6th: Aratapu | ||
| Eastern Maori | ||
| Held by W Pere | James Carroll | First |
| 2nd: Wi Pere | ||
| 3rd: Alfred Warbrick | ||
| 4th: Kereraru | ||
| Western Maori | ||
| Held by H Taipua | Hoani Taipua | |
| Southern Maori | ||
| Held by T Parata | Tame Parata | Second |
| 2nd: Thomas Ellison | ||
| 3rd: Kahu | ||
| 4th: Hōne Taare Tīkao |
Notes
References
References
- (27 September 1887). "THE GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS.". Star.
- "General elections 1853-2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand.
- (28 September 1887). "Summary of the Results". [[The Press]].
- (1887). "The General Election, 1887". National Library.
- (19 September 1887). "City West". [[Auckland Star]].
- (1906). "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Nelson, Marlborough & Westland Provincial Districts". Cyclopedia Company Limited.
- (16 September 1887). "Christchurch South". [[The Star (Christchurch).
- Cyclopedia Company Limited. (1905). "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts". [[The Cyclopedia of New Zealand]].
- (9 September 1887). "Election Notes". [[Otago Daily Times]].
- Cyclopedia Company Limited. (1905). "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Otago & Southland Provincial Districts". [[The Cyclopedia of New Zealand]].
- (9 September 1887). "Maori Electorates". Hawera & Normanby Star.
- (17 August 1887). "Election News". [[Ashburton Guardian]].
- (20 September 1887). "The Maori Members". [[The Press]].
- (14 September 1887). "The Southern Native Member". [[The Press]].
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