1858 Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay by-election

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The 1858 Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay by-election was a by-election held in the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay electorate during the 2nd New Zealand Parliament, on 22 July 1858.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP J. Valentine Smith and was won unopposed by James Ferguson. [1] Owing to an arbitrary shortening of the time between the issue of the writ and the holding of nominations at Castlepoint (where a single nomination was received) the election was over before many electors knew it was due to take place. Charles Carter had published his intention to stand on 17 July – five days before the nomination. [2] The validity of the election was called into question [3] and a petition was sent to the Governor requesting a new writ, [4] although it seems it was disallowed. The Electoral Districts Act 1858 (coincidentally passed a few weeks after the election) [5] split the electorate in two with Ferguson declared as incumbent in County of Hawke and Carter winning Wairarapa in the 1859 supplementary election.

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References

  1. "Nomination and Election". Hawke's Bay Herald. Vol. 1, no. 45. 31 July 1858. p. 2. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  2. "To the Electors of Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay". Wellington Independent. Vol. X, no. 1309. 24 July 1858. p. 4. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  3. "Public Meeting at Masterton". Wellington Independent. Vol. X, no. 1310. 4 August 1858. p. 3. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  4. "Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay election". Wellington Independent. Vol. X, no. 1310. 4 August 1858. p. 5. Retrieved 5 May 2013.
  5. "Electoral Districts Act 1858".