1909 Rangitikei by-election

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1909 Rangitikei by-election
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  Robert William Smith, 1909.jpg Frank Franklin Hockly, 1922.jpg
Candidate Robert Smith Frank Hockly
Party Liberal Reform
Popular vote 2,410 2,011
Percentage 54.51 45.49
Member before election

Arthur Remington
Liberal

Elected Member

Robert Smith
Liberal

The 1909 Rangitikei by-election was a by-election held during the 17th New Zealand Parliament in the Rangitikei electorate of the North Island. This was the sixth by-election since the Rangitikei electorate was established for the 1861 election. The previous by-election took place in 1892 and the following one took place in 1978. The Second Ballot Act 1908 was in force and in the first ballot, and Frank Hockly of the opposition Reform Party won the first ballot, but Robert William Smith of the governing Liberal Party was ultimately chosen in the second ballot.

Background[]

The by-election was caused after the death of Liberal Party MP Arthur Remington on 17 August 1909.[1] Remington died at his home in Tinakori Road, Wellington, at the age of 53.[2]

Six candidates were announced on 9 September for the by-election: Frank Hockly and George Hutchison were candidates for the opposition, Robert Hornblow was a candidate for Liberal–Labour, James Georgetti was an independent, and Robert Smith and William Meldrum were candidates for the Liberal Party.[3] However, ultimately George Hutchison did not appear on the ballot as he agreed to stand down in the interests of the Reform Party in favour of Hockly.[4]

The Second Ballot Act 1908 was in force and had previously been used for the 1908 election. This was the second by-election where it applied, and the act stipulated that the leading candidate had to obtain an absolute majority of the votes, or else the two highest polling candidates would face each other in a second election. No candidate received an absolute majority in the first ballot on 17 September and consequently a second ballot took place on 23 September.[5]

Results[]

The following tables give the election results:

First ballot[]

1909 Rangitikei by-election: First ballot[6][7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Frank Hockly 1,548 37.04
Liberal Robert Smith 1,055 25.25
Liberal William Meldrum 903 21.61
Independent James Georgetti 340 8.14
Liberal–Labour Robert Hornblow 333 7.97
Turnout 4,179

Hockly received a plurality of votes, receiving 1,548 votes of the total of 4,179. Meldrum was expected to receive the votes from those in favour of the Liberal Government,[3] however Smith ultimately came in second place. As no candidate received a majority, a second ballot took place one week later.[5]

Second ballot[]

1909 Rangitikei by-election: Second ballot[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Robert Smith 2,410 54.51 +29.26
Reform Frank Hockly 2,011 45.49 +8.45
Majority 399 9.03
Turnout 4,421

The second ballot resulted in the return of Liberal candidate Smith, who was elected by a majority of 399 votes. Despite the in-fighting from Government candidates in the first ballot, they stood faithfully in favour of Smith for the second ballot. Thomas Mackenzie, who at the time served as Minister of Agriculture, attributed the victory to "a recognition on the part of the electors that the Government is honestly striving to do its very best in the interests of the country" and took the rural vote of the electorate to be an approval of his ministry's work.[8]

Results by locality[]

Following are two tables showcasing the detailed results by locality for each of the two ballots.

First ballot[5]
Locality Hockly (Reform) Smith (Liberal) Meldrum (Liberal) Georgetti (Independent) Hornblow (Liberal–Labour)
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Aberfeldie 12 75.00 0 0.00 3 18.75 1 6.25 0 0.00
Awarua 2 22.22 4 44.44 2 22.22 1 11.11 0 0.00
Bell's Junction 14 34.15 19 46.34 6 14.63 1 2.44 1 2.44
Eastbrook 83 39.15 11 5.19 65 30.66 4 1.89 49 23.11
Fordell 112 65.50 10 5.85 33 19.30 2 1.17 14 8.19
Hunterville 181 38.35 8 1.69 257 54.45 14 2.97 12 2.54
Kaweka Road 4 50.00 0 0.00 4 50.00 0 0.00 0 0.00
Koeke 13 30.23 1 2.33 22 51.16 5 11.63 2 4.65
Kakatahi 14 29.79 11 23.40 20 42.55 1 2.13 1 2.13
Kauangaroa 18 75.00 2 8.33 4 16.67 0 0.00 0 0.00
Long Acre Valley 13 56.52 1 4.35 9 39.13 0 0.00 0 0.00
Lower Kawhatau 9 21.43 5 11.90 6 14.29 17 40.48 5 11.90
Mangahoe Road 30 90.91 1 3.03 2 6.06 0 0.00 0 0.00
Mangamahu 49 74.24 1 1.52 12 18.18 4 6.06 0 0.00
Mangaonoho 25 39.06 6 9.38 32 50.00 0 0.00 1 1.56
Mangaweka 52 16.20 61 19.00 25 7.79 111 34.58 72 22.43
Manui 7 22.58 6 19.35 5 16.13 3 9.68 10 32.26
Marybank 56 80.00 4 5.71 10 14.29 0 0.00 0 0.00
Mataroa 47 42.73 23 20.91 16 14.55 13 11.82 11 10.00
Moawhango 15 31.91 9 19.15 20 42.55 3 6.38 0 0.00
Ngawaka 6 16.22 27 72.97 3 8.11 0 0.00 1 2.70
Ohingaiti 57 46.72 36 29.51 15 12.30 12 9.84 2 1.64
Okoia 82 86.32 2 2.11 8 8.42 0 0.00 3 3.16
Otairi 33 67.35 0 0.00 16 32.65 0 0.00 0 0.00
Pohonui 7 33.33 0 0.00 14 66.67 0 0.00 0 0.00
Polgreen's Corner 42 82.35 6 11.76 3 5.88 0 0.00 0 0.00
Poukiore 31 70.45 0 0.00 11 25.00 1 2.27 1 2.27
Pukeokahu 7 21.88 4 12.50 2 6.25 19 59.38 0 0.00
Rangiwaea 6 54.55 3 27.27 2 18.18 0 0.00 0 0.00
Rata 41 37.61 42 38.53 22 20.18 2 1.83 2 1.83
Ruahine 17 28.81 23 38.98 10 16.95 4 6.78 5 8.47
Ruanui 15 50.00 7 23.33 4 13.33 4 13.33 0 0.00
Taihape 113 16.03 403 57.16 93 13.19 27 3.83 69 9.79
Taoroa 21 53.85 5 12.82 8 20.51 2 5.13 3 7.69
Tauakira 13 72.22 1 5.56 1 5.56 3 16.67 0 0.00
Te Kapua Block 9 30.00 14 46.67 7 23.33 0 0.00 0 0.00
Tiriraukawa 12 44.44 3 11.11 6 22.22 4 14.81 2 7.41
Toi Toi 1 33.33 1 33.33 1 33.33 0 0.00 0 0.00
Torere 1 1.47 24 35.29 21 30.88 16 23.53 6 8.82
Turangarere Railway station 5 7.94 49 77.78 7 11.11 1 1.59 1 1.59
Turangarere Schoolhouse 19 45.24 19 45.24 4 9.52 0 0.00 0 0.00
Upokongaro 59 64.13 2 2.17 8 8.70 18 19.57 5 5.43
Upper Kawhatau 23 43.40 14 26.42 1 1.89 10 18.87 5 9.43
Upper Turakina Valley 14 35.90 0 0.00 24 61.54 1 2.56 0 0.00
Utiku 20 13.79 67 46.21 14 9.66 15 10.34 29 20.00
Wainui 12 40.00 14 46.67 4 13.33 0 0.00 0 0.00
Wakelin's 5 17.86 10 35.71 3 10.71 2 7.14 8 28.57
Wairepo 9 47.37 3 15.79 3 15.79 1 5.26 3 15.79
Whangaehu 36 64.29 4 7.14 11 19.64 2 3.57 3 5.36
Winiata 12 19.05 27 42.86 8 12.70 11 17.46 5 7.94
Total 1,548 37.04 1,055 25.25 903 21.61 340 8.14 333 7.97
Second ballot[8]
Locality Hockly (Reform) Smith (Liberal)
Votes % Votes %
Aberfeldie 16 94.12 1 5.89
Awarua 0 0.00 4 100.00
Bell's Junction 21 44.68 26 55.32
Bennett's Siding 10 12.50 70 87.50
Eastbrook 153 49.58 155 50.32
Fordell 112 69.57 49 30.43
Hunterville 223 47.55 246 52.45
Kaweka Road 6 75.00 2 25.00
Koeke 19 45.24 23 54.76
Kakatahi 16 38.10 26 61.90
Kauangaroa 23 82.14 5 17.86
Long Acre Valley 13 72.22 5 27.78
Lower Kawhatau 12 26.09 34 73.91
Mangahoe Road 35 100.00 0 0.00
Mangamahu 56 77.78 16 22.22
Mangaonoho 26 40.63 38 59.38
Mangaweka 85 28.43 214 71.57
Manui 11 33.33 22 66.67
Marybank 72 80.00 18 20.00
Mataroa 48 48.00 52 52.00
Moawhango 26 53.06 23 46.94
Ngawaka 17 41.46 24 58.54
Ohingaiti 72 60.00 48 40.00
Okoia 92 88.46 12 11.54
Otairi 35 72.92 13 27.08
Pohonui 9 39.13 14 60.87
Polgreen's Corner 51 87.93 7 12.07
Poukiore 39 81.25 9 18.75
Pukeokahu 16 57.14 12 42.86
Rangiwaea 7 58.33 5 41.67
Rata 56 47.46 62 52.54
Ruahine 13 20.00 52 80.00
Ruanui 22 70.97 9 29.03
Taihape 188 23.95 597 76.05
Taoroa 26 60.47 17 39.53
Tauakira 6 50.00 6 50.00
Te Kapua Block 11 36.67 19 63.33
Tiriraukawa 14 50.00 14 50.00
Toi Toi 1 50.00 1 50.00
Torere 12 16.90 59 83.10
Turangarere Railway station 6 7.50 74 92.50
Turangarere Schoolhouse 22 52.38 20 47.62
Upokongaro 53 61.63 33 38.37
Upper Kawhatau 27 55.10 22 44.90
Upper Turakina Valley 17 50.00 17 50.00
Utiku 50 33.56 99 66.44
Wainui 16 47.06 18 52.94
Wakelin's 8 22.22 28 77.78
Wairepo 10 50.00 10 50.00
Whangaehu 36 62.07 22 37.93
Winiata 16 23.53 52 76.47
Total 2,011 45.49 2,410 54.51

See also[]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 229.
  2. ^ "Deaths". The Dominion Post. 2 (589). 18 August 1909. p. 4. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  3. ^ a b "The Rangitikei Seat". Otago Daily Times (14624). 9 September 1909. p. 7. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Rangitikei Election". The Press. 65 (13526). 13 September 1909. p. 8. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  5. ^ a b c "The Rangitikei By-election". The Wanganui Herald. 44 (12876). 17 September 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  6. ^ "Final Returns". Taranaki Herald. 55 (14012). 17 September 1909. p. 3. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  7. ^ "The Electoral District of Rangitikei". Wanganui Herald. XXXIV (12873). 13 September 1909. p. 1. Retrieved 16 May 2016.
  8. ^ a b c "The Rangitikei By-election". The Wanganui Herald. 44 (12882). 24 September 1909. p. 5. Retrieved 16 May 2016.

References[]

  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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