Te Aroha (New Zealand electorate)

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Te Aroha was a parliamentary electorate in the Waikato region of New Zealand from 1890 to 1893. The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament. The current Te Aroha ward is represented by the Matamata-Piako District in the Waikato region of New Zealand.

Population centres[edit]

In December 1887, the House of Representatives voted to reduce its membership from general electorates from 91 to 70. The 1890 electoral redistribution used the same 1886 census data used for the 1887 electoral redistribution. In addition, three-member electorates were introduced in the four main centres. This resulted in a major restructuring of electorates, and Te Aroha was one of four electorates to be first created for the 1890 election.[1]

The electorate was based on the town of Te Aroha. In the 1890 elections, there were 22 polling booths in the electorate covering a large part of the eastern Waikato and the Coromandel.[2]

History[edit]

The electorate was first formed for the 11th New Zealand Parliament in 1890. William Shepherd Allen and William Fraser contested the 1890 election. Votes for Allen and Fraser were 786 and 609 respectively; a majority of 177 votes for Allen, who was declared elected.[3] After a petition by Fraser was accepted, the election was declared void on 3 April 1891.[4]

The 9 July 1891 by-election was contested by Fraser, Sir Walter Buller, and Dr Broome (Allen was prevented from standing). It was won by Fraser with a large majority.[5] He represented the electorate until the end of the term of the 11th Parliament in 1893,[6] when the electorate was abolished.[7]

Members of Parliament[edit]

The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament:

Key

  Independent   Liberal

Election Winner
1890 election William Allen
1891 by-election William Fraser

Election results[edit]

1891 by-election[edit]

1891 Te Aroha by-election[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal William Fraser 875 60.89 +17.24
Independent Liberal Walter Buller 523 36.40
Independent Charles Broome 12 0.84
Informal votes 27 1.88
Majority 352 24.50
Turnout 1,437 50.06 +1.46
Registered electors 2,870

1890 election[edit]

1890 general election: Te Aroha[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent William Shepherd Allen 786 56.34
Liberal William Fraser 609 43.65
Majority 175 12.54
Turnout 1,395 48.60
Registered electors 2,870

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 54ff.
  2. ^ "The General Election". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. XXVII, no. 8450. 29 December 1890. p. 11. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  3. ^ "The General Election, 1890". New Zealand National Library. 1891. Retrieved 8 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Election declared void". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XXV, no. 7380. 4 April 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  5. ^ "Te Aroha Election". Thames Star. Vol. XXIII, no. 6930. 10 July 1891. p. 2. Retrieved 29 June 2011.
  6. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 198.
  7. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 273.
  8. ^ "The Te Aroha Seat". Thames Advertiser. Vol. XXIV, no. 6968. 14 July 1891. p. 3. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  9. ^ "The General Election, 1890". National Library. 1891. Retrieved 25 February 2012.

References[edit]

  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.