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| Turnout | 6,921 | ||||||||||||
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The 1911 Christchurch North by-election was a by-election during the 17th New Zealand Parliament held on 17 August that year in the Christchurch North electorate. It was triggered by the death of sitting member Tommy Taylor on 27 July and was won by his close friend and political ally, Leonard Isitt.
Taylor had come to national prominence over prohibition even before he was first elected to parliament in the 1896 election. A radical politician, he was interested in a variety of labour and liberal issues, but was a staunch opponent of Richard Seddon and always maintained his independence, going as far as refusing company ownership or joining cabinet. On a personal level, he was deeply popular with the population, and when he died aged 49 only months after having been elected Mayor of Christchurch, 50,000 people lined the streets during his funeral procession. [1]
At the time, Taylor had been one of New Zealand's most colourful politicians. [1] Naturally, when it came to discussions around his succession in the Christchurch North electorate, a focus was on people who could advance some of the causes that had been important to Taylor. The two politicians mentioned in this context were Leonard Isitt and James McCombs. The next general election was not too far away and McCombs had already committed himself to contest Christchurch East, and he thus declined. He also stated that he was too busy during the by-election campaign period, as he had committed himself to organise the Taylor memorial fund, for which he was secretary. [2]
Isitt accepted the nomination. Also a prohibitionist and a close friend of Taylor's, Isitt was at his bedside when he died. [2] Labour interests did not stand a candidate against Isitt out of respect for Taylor. [2] The conservative candidate was Dryden Hall, the second son of a former premier, John Hall. [3]
The following table gives the election results:
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independent Liberal | Leonard Isitt | 3,815 | 55.12 | ||
| Reform | Dryden Hall | 3,106 | 44.88 | ||
| Majority | 709 | 10.24 | |||
| Turnout | 6,921 | ||||
Commentators attributed the win of successful candidate Leonard Isitt to floods of sympathy votes. [4] Isitt held the Christchurch North electorate until he retired at the 1925 election. [5] Hall contested the Christchurch North electorate in the 1911 general election a few months after the by-election, but was beaten by Isitt in the second ballot. [6]
Elizabeth Reid McCombs was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party who in 1933 became the first woman elected to the New Zealand Parliament. New Zealand women gained the right to vote in 1893, though were not allowed to stand for the House of Representatives until the election of 1919. McCombs had previously contested elections in 1928 and 1931.
Rev. Leonard Monk Isitt was a Member of Parliament of the New Zealand Liberal Party. He was a Methodist minister and an advocate of prohibition (temperance), in association with Tommy Taylor and his brother, Rev. Frank Isitt.
The 1905 New Zealand general election was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 16th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 412,702 voters turned out, with 396,657 voting in the European electorates.
The 1922 New Zealand general election was held on Monday, 6 December in the Māori electorates, and on Tuesday, 7 December in the general electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 21st session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 700,111 (87.7%) voters turned out to vote. In one seat there was only one candidate.
The 1925 New Zealand general election was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament.
Thomas Edward Taylor was a Christchurch mayor, New Zealand Member of Parliament, businessman and prohibitionist.
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Christchurch East, originally called Christchurch City East, is a current New Zealand parliamentary electorate. It was first created for the 1871 election and was abolished for two periods, from 1875–1905 and again from 1946–1996. It was last created for the introduction of the MMP voting system for the 1996 election. The current MP is Reuben Davidson, a member of the New Zealand Labour Party who was first elected in the 2023 New Zealand general election.
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James (Jimmy) McCombs was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for Lyttelton.
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The Lyttelton by-election of 1933 was a by-election held during the 24th New Zealand Parliament in the Christchurch electorate of Lyttelton. It is notable for being won by Elizabeth McCombs of the New Zealand Labour Party, who became the first woman to be elected to the New Zealand Parliament. This by-election was therefore seen as a milestone in Women's suffrage in New Zealand.
Denis John O'Rourke is a former New Zealand politician. He served fifteen years as a councillor on Christchurch City Council, and served six years as a Member of Parliament representing New Zealand First.
