The 1891 Egmont by-election was a by-election held on 17 February 1891 during the 11th New Zealand Parliament in the Taranaki electorate of Egmont.
The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent MP Harry Atkinson when he was appointed to the Legislative Council, along with six other Conservatives; to block any radical measures introduced by the new Liberal Government of John Ballance.
The by-election was won by Felix McGuire. [1]
McGuire was opposed by Robert Bruce who had previously represented Rangitikei. [2]
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Conservative | Felix McGuire | 986 | 51.92 | ||
Independent | Robert Bruce | 913 | 48.04 | ||
Majority | 73 | 3.84 | |||
Turnout | 1,899 |
Sir Harry Albert Atkinson served as the tenth premier of New Zealand on four separate occasions in the late 19th century, and was Colonial Treasurer for a total of ten years. He was responsible for guiding the country during a time of economic depression, and was known as a cautious and prudent manager of government finances, though distrusted for some policies such as his 1882 National Insurance (welfare) scheme and leasehold land schemes. He also participated in the formation of voluntary military units to fight in the New Zealand Wars, and was noted for his strong belief in the need for seizure of Māori land.
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