Results of the 1848 New South Wales colonial election

Last updated

The 1848 New South Wales colonial election was held between 29 July and 2 August. [1] No candidates were nominated for Port Phillip as a result of the campaign for independence from New South Wales, [2] and a fresh writ was issued for an election on 3 October. [3]

Contents

Results by district

County of Argyle

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
County of Argyle   [4]
CandidateVotes%
Charles Nicholson (elected)unopposed 

County of Bathurst

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 29 July:
County of Bathurst   [5]
CandidateVotes%
John Darvall (elected)8750
Francis Lord 8750
Total votes174 100

The returning officer gave his casting vote in favour of John Darvall. [5]

County of Camden

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
County of Camden   [6]
CandidateVotes%
James Macarthur (elected)unopposed 

Counties of Cook and Westmoreland

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 29 July:
Counties of Cook and Westmoreland   [7]
CandidateVotes%
James Martin (elected)10366
Alfred Cheeke 5434
Total votes157 100

The election of James Martin was declared void on the grounds that he was not qualified to stand; [8] [9] however, he was re-elected unopposed. [10] Martin subsequently sued the Speaker of the Legislative Council, Charles Nicholson and the Sergeant at Arms, William Christie, for trespass for having him removed when there had been no decision of the Electoral Court in accordance with the Electoral Act 1843. [11] The Full Court of the Supreme Court held that under the Electoral Act 1843 it was only the Electoral Court that could determine there was a vacancy and not the Governor. [12]

County of Cumberland

Two members to be elected

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 2 August:
County of Cumberland   [13]
CandidateVotes%
Charles Cowper (elected 1)63738
Nelson Lawson (elected 2)55633
Henry Gilbert Smith 49029
Total votes1,683 100

Cumberland Boroughs

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 1 August: Cumberland Boroughs   [14] [15]
CandidateVotes%
William Bowman (elected)16589
Robert Fitzgerald 2011
Total votes185 100

County of Durham

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 26 July:
County of Durham   [16]
CandidateVotes%
Stuart Donaldson (elected)Show of Hands
Andrew Lang

On 26 July 1848, the day prescribed for nominations, Stuart Donaldson and Andrew Lang were nominated. A show of hands was in favour of Donaldson and Lang demanded a poll. The returning officer had neglected to make any preparations for a poll and so declared Donaldson elected. [16] Donaldson attempted to resign on 16 August. [17] The election was declared void by the court of disputed returns and a new writ issued. [18]

Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 2 August:
Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley   [19]
CandidateVotes%
Kenneth Snodgrass (elected)9868
Archibald Boyd4732
Total votes145 100
Voter turnout48%

The writ was not returned in time and the Governor issued a proclamation declaring the election was valid despite the delay. [20]

Counties of Hunter, Brisbane and Bligh

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 29 July:
Counties of Hunter, Brisbane and Bligh   [21] [22]
CandidateVotes%
Donald McIntyre (elected)1970
William Dumaresq 622
John Lang 27
Total votes27 100

City of Melbourne

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 26 July:
City of Melbourne   [23]
CandidateVotes%
Earl Grey (elected)29574
John Foster 10226
Total votes397 100

Earl Grey, the Colonial Secretary in London, had never set foot in the colony and there was no suggestion he met the property requirement for election. He was nominated and elected as part of the campaign for independence, protesting against government by New South Wales. [24]

Counties of Murray, King and Georgiana

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
Counties of Murray, King and Georgiana   [25]
CandidateVotes%
Terence Murray (elected)unopposed 

County of Northumberland

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
County of Northumberland   [26]
CandidateVotes%
Henry Dangar (elected)12764
Charles Salmon Vallack7336
Total votes200 100

Northumberland Boroughs

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 29 July:
Northumberland Boroughs   [27]
CandidateVotes%
Bob Nichols (elected)18570
William Moir8030
Total votes265 100

Town of Parramatta

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 28 July:
Town of Parramatta   [28]
CandidateVotes%
George Oakes (elected)10153
William Macarthur 8947
Total votes190 100

Port Phillip

Five members to be elected

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 3 October:
Port Phillip   [29]
CandidateVotes%
Lauchlan Mackinnon (elected 1)23917
James Williamson (elected 2)23416
John Dickson (elected 3)23216
James Palmer (elected 4)22616
Edward Curr (elected 5)18913
The Duke of Wellington,
Lord Palmerston,
Lord Brougham,
Lord John Russell,
Sir Robert Peel 		584
William Macarthur 251
Total votes1,435 100

The original polling day was 27 July; [1] however, no candidates were nominated for Port Phillip as a result of the campaign for independence from New South Wales. [2] A further writ was issued on 25 August. [3]

Counties of Roxburgh, Phillip and Wellington

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
Counties of Roxburgh, Phillip and Wellington   [30]
CandidateVotes%
William Suttor Sr. (elected)unopposed 

Counties of St Vincent and Auckland

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 31 July:
Counties of St Vincent and Auckland   [31]
CandidateVotes%
George Hill (elected)1456
Robert Lowe 1144
Total votes25 100

The writ was not returned in time and the Governor issued a proclamation declaring the election was valid despite the delay. [32]

City of Sydney

Two members to be elected

1848 New South Wales colonial election, 28 July:
City of Sydney   [33]
CandidateVotes%
William Wentworth (elected 1)1,16829
Robert Lowe (elected 2)1,01225
John Lamb 95024
William Bland 87422
Total votes4,004 100

See also

Related Research Articles

William Bowman was an Australian politician and an elected member of the New South Wales Legislative Council between 1843 and 1856. He was also a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly for 1 term from 1856 until 1858.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Port Phillip</span>

The Electoral district of Port Phillip was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council before it became the separate colony of Victoria (Australia) on 1 July 1851. At the time, some members of the Council were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. The Town of Melbourne returned one member while the Port Phillip district, which covered the rest of what became Victoria after its separation in 1851, returned five members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Town of Melbourne</span>

The Electoral district of Town of Melbourne was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council before it became part of the Colony of Victoria on 1 July 1851.

This is a list of members of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1843 to 1851. The 1843 Electoral Act prescribed 36 members, 24 to be elected, 6 appointed by virtue of their office and 6 nominated. The appointments and elections were for five year terms and thus occurred in 1843, and 1848. The Speaker was Alexander Macleay until 19 May 1846 and then Charles Nicholson. The parliament was dissolved on 30 June 1851 as a result of the 1851 Electoral Act which increased the number of members in the Council to 54.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of County of Durham</span>

The Electoral district of County of Durham was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor. It was named after Durham County, which lies on the north side of the Hunter River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of County of Cumberland</span>

The Electoral district of County of Cumberland was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when some of its members were elected and the balance were appointed by the Governor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley</span>

The Electoral district of Counties of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley and from 1851, Gloucester and Macquarie, was an electorate of the partially elected New South Wales Legislative Council, created for the first elections for the Council in 1843. The counties of Gloucester and Macquarie were the settled coastal areas north of Northumberland County, while the County of Stanley was the area surrounding Brisbane, in what became part of Queensland after its separation in 1859. Polling took place at Raymond Terrace, Port Macquarie, Dungog, Stroud, Brisbane, Ipswich and Mr Rowley's residence on the Manning River. The County of Stanley was removed from the district with the expansion of the Council in 1851 and became the districts of County of Stanley and Stanley Boroughs.

Donald McIntyre was an Australian politician, who was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council from 1848 to 1851.

The electoral district of Cumberland Boroughs, also known as the united towns of Windsor, Richmond, Liverpool and Campbelltown, was an electorate of the New South Wales Legislative Council at a time when two thirds were elected, one sixth were official members, that is they held a government office and the balance were appointed by the Governor.

The 1843 New South Wales colonial election, the first in the colony, was held between 15 June and 3 July 1843, to elect 24 members from 18 electoral districts. Each district returned 1 member except for Port Phillip which returned 5 members while County of Cumberland, and Town of Sydney returned 2 each.

The Electoral district of Counties of St Vincent and Auckland was an electorate of the partially elected New South Wales Legislative Council, created for the first elections for the Council in 1843. The electoral district consisted of the two south coast counties of St Vincent and Auckland, extending from Jervis Bay south to Eden and west to Braidwood. Polling took place at Jervis Bay, Ulladulla, Braidwood, Broulee and Eden. The district was abolished with the expansion of the Council in 1851. St Vincent was combined with Murray to the west as the Counties of Murray and St Vincent while Auckland became part of the Pastoral District of Maneroo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of County of Northumberland</span> Former legislative council electoral district of New South Wales, Australia

The Electoral district of County of Northumberland and from 1851, Northumberland and Hunter, was an electorate of the partially elected New South Wales Legislative Council, created for the first elections for the Council in 1843. The County of Northumberland was bounded by the part of the Hawkesbury River to the south, the Macdonald River to the south-west, and the Hunter River to the north, however the electoral district did not include the towns of East Maitland, West Maitland and Newcastle which made up the district of Northumberland Boroughs. Polling took place at Gosford, Newcastle, East Maitland, Wollombi, Singleton and Watson's on the Macdonald River. The County of Hunter was added to the district with the expansion of the Council in 1851 and elected two members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electoral district of Northumberland Boroughs (NSW Legislative Council)</span> Former New South Wales Legislative Council electoral district

The Electoral district of Northumberland Boroughs was an electorate of the partially elected New South Wales Legislative Council, created for the first elections for the Council in 1843. From 1843 until 1851 the electorate covered the major towns or boroughs of Northumberland County, East Maitland, West Maitland and Newcastle, and polling took place at East Maitland, West Maitland and Newcastle. Morpeth was added to the electorate from 1851 while Newcastle was removed from the electorate to form, with Raymond Terrace, the North Eastern Boroughs. The rest of Northumberland County was covered by the County of Northumberland from 1843 until 1951, and Counties of Northumberland and Hunter from 1851 until 1856.

The 1851 New South Wales colonial election, was held between 12 and 25 September. It involved a re-distribution of electorates as a result of the separation of Victoria, which had 6 seats in the previous council, and the expansion of the council from 24 elected members to 36 elected members representing 31 electorates. The major changes were the addition of 8 pastoral districts and the separate representation for the northern regions of what would later become Queensland. These had previously been a part of the single district of Gloucester, Macquarie, and Stanley and from 1851 were covered by the separate districts of Stanley, Stanley Boroughs and the pastoral districts of Moreton, Wide Bay, Burnett, and Maranoa. The other 8 additional seats were distributed among the nineteen counties of New South Wales.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Cumberland South Riding in November 1856 because the Qualifications Committee declared the August by-election which returned Ryan Brenan was invalid as no poll had been conducted at Canterbury. Brenan was persuaded not to stand to allow Stuart Donaldson to regain a seat, having lost Sydney Hamlets in a ministerial by-election. A committee had been formed to secure the return of Augustus Morris, however it is unclear as to why he was not nominated.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of New England and Macleay on 26 November 1858 because of the resignation of Abram Moriarty, for reasons that included the difficulty of serving a far distant electorate.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Morpeth on 18 September 1862 because David Buchanan was insolvent and resigned his seat. Buchanan had unsuccessfully sued the Sydney Morning Herald for libel and was required to pay their legal costs. He was unable to pay and declared himself bankrupt.

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Morpeth on 7 August 1860 because Edward Close resigned. Close later stated that he resigned because it had been a lengthy session of parliament, marked by a contest for power between Charles Cowper, William Forster and John Robertson in which nothing was done.

The 1848 New South Wales colonial election was held between 29 July and 2 August 1848. This election was for 24 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Council and it was conducted in 15 single-member constituencies, two 2-member constituencies and one 5-member constituency, all with a first past the post system. The Legislative Council was a hybrid system with 36 members, 24 elected, 6 appointed by virtue of their office and 6 nominated. The appointments and elections were for five year terms.<

References

  1. 1 2 "Writs for a general election". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 68. 27 June 1848. p. 799. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  2. 1 2 "Melbourne". Geelong Advertiser . 27 July 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  3. 1 2 "Writ of election: Port Phillip". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 91. 25 August 1848. p. 1065. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  4. ↑ "County elections:Goulburn". The Sydney Morning Herald . 28 July 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 23 May 2019– via Trove.
  5. 1 2 "Bathurst". The Sydney Morning Herald . 4 August 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 23 May 2019– via Trove.
  6. ↑ "Election for Camden". The Sydney Morning Herald . 28 July 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 23 May 2019– via Trove.
  7. ↑ "Cook and Westmoreland". The Sydney Morning Herald . 29 July 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2019– via Trove.
    "Cook and Westmoreland". The Sydney Morning Herald . 2 August 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  8. ↑ "Writ of election". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 89. 21 June 1849. p. 939. Retrieved 22 April 2019– via Trove.
  9. ↑ "Legislative Council: Mr James Martin". The Sydney Morning Herald . 18 June 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 22 April 2019– via Trove.
    "Legislative Council: message from the Governor:- Mr James Martin". The Sydney Morning Herald . 20 June 1849. p. 2. Retrieved 22 April 2019– via Trove.
  10. ↑ "Cook and Westmoreland election". The Sydney Morning Herald . 14 July 1849. p. 3. Retrieved 22 April 2019– via Trove.
  11. ↑ "An Act to provide for the division of the Colony of New South Wales into Electoral Districts and for the Election of Members to serve in the Legislative Council.". Act No. 16 of 23 February 1843 (PDF). Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  12. ↑ Martin v Nicholson (1850) 1 Legge 618 (PDF) Supreme Court (Full Court) (NSW), per Stephen CJ, Dickinson and Therry JJ.
  13. ↑ "County of Cumberland". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 9 August 1848. p. 4. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  14. ↑ "Cumberland Boroughs". The Sydney Morning Herald . 3 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 23 April 2019– via Trove.
  15. ↑ "Cumberland Boroughs". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 12 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 23 April 2019– via Trove.
  16. 1 2 "Election for Durham". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 26 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  17. ↑ "To the independent electors of Durham". The Sydney Morning Herald . 16 August 1848. p. 1. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  18. ↑ "Writ of election". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 78. 8 June 1849. p. 880. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  19. ↑ "Number of electors". The Moreton Bay Courier . 22 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 29 May 2019– via Trove.
    "The northern counties". The Sydney Morning Herald . 28 August 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  20. ↑ "Proclamation". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 95. 2 September 1848. p. 1138. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  21. ↑ "Election for Hunter, Brisbane and Bligh". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 2 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2021– via Trove.
  22. ↑ These results are only for Scone and do not include results for polling at Murrurundi, Cassilis, Merton, Jerrys Plains, Muswell Brook, Montefiores or Watson's on the Macdonald River: "Polling places". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 26 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2021– via Trove.
  23. ↑ "Election of a representative for the City of Melbourne". Port Phillip Gazette and Settler's Journal . 29 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  24. ↑ "Contemporary opinions on the late election movements". Geelong Advertiser . 29 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 23 May 2019– via Trove.
    "Apology for Earl Grey's election". The Port Phillip Patriot and Morning Advertiser . 31 July 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  25. ↑ "Yass". The Sydney Morning Herald . 1 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  26. ↑ "The elections: County of Northumberland". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 5 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 25 May 2019– via Trove.
  27. ↑ "The election". The Maitland Mercury and Hunter River General Advertiser . 24 June 1843. p. 4. Retrieved 22 May 2019– via Trove.
  28. ↑ "The borough of Parramatta". The Sydney Morning Herald . 1 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  29. ↑ "The district election". The Argus . 13 October 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  30. ↑ "Nomination day for Roxburgh". Bathurst Advocate . 29 July 1848. p. 3. Retrieved 29 May 2019– via Trove.
  31. ↑ "Election for St Vincent and Auckland". The Sydney Morning Herald . 22 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
  32. ↑ "Proclamation". New South Wales Government Gazette . No. 95. 25 August 1848. p. 1138. Retrieved 27 May 2019– via Trove.
  33. ↑ "Sydney election". The Sydney Morning Herald . 1 August 1848. p. 2. Retrieved 26 May 2019– via Trove.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.