The 1854 Waimea by-election was a by-election held in the multi-member electorate of Waimea during the 1st New Zealand Parliament, on 21 June 1854, and was the second by-election in New Zealand political history (and the first contested by-election), coming two days after the Town of Nelson by-election. [1]
The Waimea member of parliament William Cautley and the neighbouring Town of Nelson electorate's MP William Travers both resigned on 26 May 1854, two days after the start of the first Parliamentary session of the 1st New Zealand Parliament. On nomination day (20 June) William Travers and Francis Jollie were nominated (Jollie was nominated in absentia), and after a show of hands in favour of Jollie, Travers demanded a poll. William Travers was subsequently elected the following day. [1]
Up to 17 June 1854 it was unknown in the public that multiple candidates would seek nomination by the electors; Francis Jollie was thought to be the only candidate. [1] On that date William Travers, who had resigned from the Town of Nelson electorate on the same date as Cautley, announced his candidacy. [1]
The nomination meeting was held on 20 June 1854 in Richmond, with the polling date set for 21 June. [1] There was a reasonable number of electors present. [1] The Returning Officer then read the writ. [1] F. Otterson proposed Francis Jollie, as expected, seconded by Mr. Harkness. [1] J. W. Saxton said he was happy to propose Mr. William L. T. Travers, a nomination seconded by S. Wells. [1] A show of hands then happened after speeches, which was declared in favour of Jollie, to which Travers demanded a poll. [1]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | William Travers | 126 | 64.0 | ||
Independent | Francis Jollie | 71 | 36.0 | ||
Turnout | 197 | ||||
Majority | 55 |
The 1st New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. It opened on 24 May 1854, following New Zealand's first general election. It was dissolved on 15 September 1855 in preparation for that year's election. 37 Members of the House of Representatives (MHRs) represented 24 electorates.
William Thomas Locke Travers was a New Zealand lawyer, politician, explorer, and naturalist.
William Oldfield Cautley was a New Zealand settler and politician.
Nelson is a New Zealand parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the House of Representatives of New Zealand. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson. The electorate is the only one that has continuously existed since the 1st Parliament in 1853.
Francis Jollie was a politician in New Zealand.
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Waimea was a parliamentary electorate in the Nelson Province of New Zealand, from 1853 to 1887. Initially represented by two members, it was a single-member electorate from 1861.
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