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1886 Western Maori by-election

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Polling places for the 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.

Background

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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

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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

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1884 election

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

1886 by-election

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1886 Western Maori by-election[7][10]
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

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  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. Vol. XXIX, no. 11413. 1 December 1886. p. 4. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  6. ^ a b "The Western Maori Electoral District". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XX, no. 6087. 2 December 1886. p. 3. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
  7. ^ a b "Wanganui Herald". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XXI, no. 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". The Evening Post. Vol. XXXII, no. 191. 30 December 1886. p. 2. Retrieved 16 March 2014.

References

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