1886 Western Maori by-election

The 1886 Western Maori by-election was a by-election held in the Western Maori electorate during the 9th New Zealand Parliament, on 23 December 1886. The by-election was caused by the death of the incumbent, Te Puke Te Ao, and was won by Hoani Taipua.

Polling places for the 1886 Western Maori by-election

Background

Te Ao had won the Western Maori electorate in the 1884 election; it had been the first time that he had stood in a general election.[1] Te Ao died in October 1886.[2] This triggered the by-election, which was held on 23 December 1886.[3]

The election

The nomination meeting was held on 2 December 1868 at the court house in Wanganui, with George Thomas Wilkinson[4] presiding as the returning officer.[5] The candidates were nominated in the following order: Hoani Taipua, Ngawaka Taurua, Henare Kaihau of Waiuku, Wiremu Te Wheoro, and Sydney Taiwhanga.[6] The show of hands was strongly in favour of Hoani Taipua, and Te Wheoro demanded a poll, for which 23 December was set.[6]

The by-election was a decisive win for Hoani Taipua, who gained an absolute majority of the votes, and had a 33% lead over the second-placed candidate, Wiremu Te Wheoro.[7] Te Wheoro had previously represented the electorate, from 1879 until his defeat in the 1884 election.[8] Taipua went on to represent the electorate until his retirement at the 1893 election.[9]

Election results

1884 election

The 1884 general election was contested by eight candidates in the Western Maori electorate.

1884 general election: Western Maori[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Te Puke Te Ao 356 25.21
Independent Te Keepa Te Rangihiwinui 284 20.11
Independent Wiremu Te Wheoro 155 10.98
Independent Wetere Te Rerenga 141 9.99
Independent Henare Kaihau 137 9.70
Independent Mita Karaka 136 9.63 -0.35
Independent Hāmiora Mangakāhia 125 8.85 -6.72
Independent Sydney Taiwhanga 78 5.52
Majority 72 5.10 -48.53
Turnout 1,412

1886 by-election
1886 Western Maori by-election[7][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Hoani Taipua 1,258 56.67
Independent Wiremu Te Wheoro 519 23.38 +12.40
Independent Henare Kaihau 225 10.14 +0.43
Independent Sydney Taiwhanga 148 6.67 +1.14
Independent Ngawaka Taurua 70 3.15
Majority 739 33.29 +28.19
Turnout 2,220

Notes
  1. Wilson 1985, p. 180.
  2. Scholefield 1940a, p. 17.
  3. Wilson 1985, p. 238.
  4. Scholefield 1940b, pp. 509f.
  5. "Election Notice". Wanganui Chronicle. XXIX (11413). 1 December 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  6. "The Western Maori Electoral District". Wanganui Herald. XX (6087). 2 December 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  7. "Wanganui Herald". Wanganui Herald. XXI (6117). 11 January 1887. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  8. Wilson 1985, p. 245.
  9. Wilson 1985, p. 239.
  10. "The Western Maori Election". Waikato Times. XXIII (1885). 5 August 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  11. "The Western Maori Election". The Evening Post. XXXII (191). 30 December 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2014.

References
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