Omata (New Zealand electorate)

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Omata was a New Zealand electorate. It was located in Taranaki and based on the township of Omata. One of the original 24 electorates, it existed from 1853 to 1870.

Population centres[]

The Omata electorate was named after Omata in Taranaki, a locality just south-west of New Plymouth. The electorate's boundary was a straight line that started at the coast between Omata and New Plymouth, and it proceeded in a south-east direction to near where Patea is located.[1] Population centres located in the electorate included Ōpunake, Manaia, Hāwera, and Eltham.[1] In the 1870 electoral redistribution, the Omata electorate was abolished. The electorate's area was effectively increased towards the east (the easternmost boundary reached the Whanganui River), gaining a large area from the Grey and Bell electorate, and the name changed to Egmont after Mount Egmont, the original European name of Mount Taranaki.[2]

History[]

The Omata electorate was one of the twenty-four original electorates, used in New Zealand's first general election.[3] In 1853, William Crompton was returned elected unopposed.[4] In the 1855 election, Alfred William East beat the incumbent by a six-vote margin.[5] East resigned in March 1860 before the end of his term when he accepted a government appointment.[6] In the resulting by-election on 16 April 1860, James Crowe Richmond was returned unopposed.[7]

Members of Parliament[]

The following Members of Parliament represented the Omata electorate:[3]

Election Winner
1853 election William Crompton
1855 election Alfred William East
1860 by-election James Crowe Richmond
1860 election
1865 by-election Francis Gledhill
1866 election Arthur Atkinson[8]
1868 by-election Charles Brown
1870 by-election Frederic Carrington

Election results[]

1853 election[]

William Crompton was returned unopposed.[4]

1855 election[]

1855 general election: Omata[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Alfred William East ?
Independent William Crompton ?
Majority 6
Registered electors 105[9]

1860 by-election[]

James Crowe Richmond was returned unopposed.[7]

1868 by-election[]

Charles Brown was returned unopposed.(see 1868 by-election).

1870 by-election[]

1870 Omata by-election[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Frederic Carrington 42 54.55
Independent Captain E. Carthew 35 45.45
Majority 7 9.09
Turnout 77

Notes[]

  1. ^ a b McRobie 1989, pp. 28, 32.
  2. ^ McRobie 1989, pp. 38f.
  3. ^ a b Wilson 1985, p. 269.
  4. ^ a b "The Southern Cross". Daily Southern Cross. X (650). 20 September 1853. p. 2. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
  5. ^ a b "The Elections". Taranaki Herald. IV (173). 21 November 1855. p. 3. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  6. ^ Scholefield 1940, p. 226.
  7. ^ a b "Election". Taranaki Herald. VIII (403). 21 April 1860. p. 2. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  8. ^ Cyclopedia Company Limited (1908). "Former Members Of The House Of Representatives". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay & Wellington Provincial Districts. Christchurch. Retrieved 22 June 2010.
  9. ^ McRobie 1989, p. 29.
  10. ^ "Election". Taranaki Herald. 27 April 1870.
  11. ^ "Election". Taranaki Herald. 23 April 1870.

References[]

  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Scholefield, Guy, ed. (1940). A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L (PDF). I. Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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