1895 Canterbury colonial by-election

1895 Canterbury
colonial by-election

←  1894 11 June 1895 July 1895  →
Electoral district of Canterbury in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
Registered	2,655 [a]
First party   Candidate Varney Parkes Party Free Trade Popular vote Unopposed
MP before election Varney Parkes Free Trade Elected MP Varney Parkes Free Trade

The 1895 Canterbury colonial by-election was held on 11 June 1895 to elect the member for Canterbury in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Free Trade Party MP Varney Parkes. ^{[1] [2]}

Under the Constitution of New South Wales, if a sitting member "becomes bankrupt or takes the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors" they are disqualified from sitting in parliament. ^{[3] [4]} Parkes became bankrupt because of business failings and mortgage foreclosures, having owed a large sum of money to the Bank of New South Wales (most of it as guarantee for his father, Sir Henry Parkes). ^{[5] [6]}

Parkes was the only candidate to contest, and he was declared elected at the close of candidate nominations. ^{[7] [8]} He was again re-elected one month later at the New South Wales colonial election on 24 July 1895. ^{[9] [10]}

Key events

• 3 June 1895 − Varney Parkes resigns ^[11]
• 4 June 1895 − Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly ^[12]
• 5 June 1895 − Varney Parkes declared bankrupt ^[13]
• 11 June 1895 − Candidate nominations
• 14 June 1895 − Polling day (no poll held)
• 21 June 1895 − Return of writ (scheduled date)

Results

1895 Canterbury colonial by-election ^[14]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Free Trade	Varney Parkes	unopposed
Registered electors			2,655 [a]
	Free Trade hold

See also

• Electoral results for the district of Canterbury
• List of New South Wales state by-elections

Notes

1. Estimate based on a roll of 2,655 at the 1894 election. ^[15]

References

1. "MR VARNEY PARKES UNOPPOSED". Sydney Morning Herald. 11 June 1895. p. 5. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
2. "VARNEY PARKES". Clarence and Richmond Examiner. 11 June 1895. p. 4. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
3. "CONSTITUTION ACT 1902 - SECT 13A". AustLII. Archived from the original on 19 March 2023. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
4. "Qualification and Disqualification of Members of Parliament" (PDF). Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
5. "MR. V. PARKES'S INSOLVENCY". The Age. 28 June 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
6. "A FILIAL BANKRUPT". Queanbeyan Age. 29 June 1895. p. 2. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
7. "MR. V. PARKES RE-ELECTED". Evening News. 11 June 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
8. "MR. VARNEY PARKES UNOPPOSED". The Daily Telegraph. 11 June 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
9. "Return of Mr. V. Parkes". Sydney Morning Herald. 25 July 1895. p. 6. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
10. Green, Antony. "Canterbury - 1895". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
11. "Mr Varney PARKES (1859 - 1935)". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
12. "WRIT OF ELECTION". New South Wales Government Gazette. 5 June 1895. p. 3716. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
13. "IN BANKRUPTCY". New South Wales Government Gazette. 11 June 1895. p. 3813. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
14. Green, Antony. "Canterbury - By-election 1895". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.
15. Green, Antony. "Canterbury - 1894". Parliament of New South Wales. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 28 January 2025.