Hawera (New Zealand electorate)

Hawera was a parliamentary electorate in the South Taranaki District of New Zealand from 1896 to 1908. It was represented by two Members of Parliament over the four parliamentary terms of its existence.

Population centres

In the 1896 electoral redistribution, rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Four electorates that previously existed were re-established, and three electorates were established for the first time, including Hawera.[1] The New Plymouth electorate was abolished, the Egmont electorate shifted north, and the Patea electorate shifted east. This made room for the Taranaki and Hawera electorates.[2] Settlements in the original Hawera electorate were the towns of Hāwera, Manaia, and Eltham.[3]

In the 1902 electoral redistribution, Eltham was lost to the Patea electorate, but Ōpunake was gained from the Taranaki electorate.[4] In the 1907 electoral redistribution, the Hawera electorate was abolished, and its area was distributed to the Patea and Egmont electorates.[5]

History

Felix McGuire was the electorate's first representative. As an independent conservative, he had previously represented the Egmont electorate since a 1891 by-election after the resignation of Harry Atkinson.[6] In the 1902 election, McGuire was defeated by Charles E. Major of the Liberal Party.[7] McGuire and Major once again contested the Hawera electorate in 1905, and Major remained successful.[8]

The Hawera electorate was abolished at the 1908 election.[9] Major stood in the Patea electorate, but was defeated by the conservative politician George Pearce.[10]

Members of Parliament

The Hawera electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament:[9]

Key

  Conservative   Liberal

Election Winner
1896 election Felix McGuire
1899 election
1902 election Charles Major
1905 election
(Electorate abolished 1908; see Patea and Egmont)

Election results

1905 election

1905 general election: Hawera[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles E. Major 2,206 42.55 −7.69
Conservative Felix McGuire 1,757 33.89 −15.87
Independent Liberal Benjamin Robbins 1,222 23.57
Informal votes 61 1.16
Majority 449 8.66 +8.19
Turnout 5,246 84.41 +7.47
Registered electors 6,215

1902 election

1902 general election: Hawera[12]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Charles E. Major 2,233 50.24 +8.77
Conservative Felix McGuire 2,212 49.76 +6.93
Majority 21 0.47
Turnout 4,445 76.94 −1.32
Registered electors 5,777

1899 election

1899 general election: Hawera[13][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Felix McGuire 1,740 42.83 +7.89
Liberal Charles E. Major 1,685 41.47 +10.29
Independent Liberal David Lyon Astbury 638 15.70
Majority 55 1.35 +0.29
Turnout 4,063 78.26 −4.16
Registered electors 5,192

1896 election

1896 general election: Hawera[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Felix McGuire 1,182 34.94
Liberal Benjamin Robbins 1,146 33.88
Liberal Charles E. Major 1,055 31.19
Majority 36 1.06
Turnout 3,383
Registered electors 4,105

Notes

  1. ^ McRobie 1989, p. 63.
  2. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 58, 62.
  3. ^ McRobie 1989, p. 62.
  4. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 66f.
  5. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 66–71.
  6. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 215.
  7. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 218.
  8. ^ "The General Election, 1905". National Library. 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  9. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 264.
  10. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 218, 226.
  11. ^ The General Election, 1905. National Library. 1906. p. 2. Retrieved 8 December 2014.
  12. ^ The General Election, 1902. National Library. 1903. p. 1. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  13. ^ "The General Election, 1899". Wellington: Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives. 19 June 1900. p. 2. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  14. ^ "Electoral District of Hawera". Hawera & Normanby Star. Vol. XXXVII, no. 5061. 12 December 1899. p. 3. Retrieved 13 February 2014.
  15. ^ "Electoral District of Hawera". Hawera & Normanby Star. Vol. XXXIII, no. 3418. 9 December 1896. p. 3. Retrieved 9 January 2014.

References

  • 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.