The 1893 New Zealand general election was held on 28 November and 20 December in the European and Māori electorates, respectively, to elect 74 MPs to the 12th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The election was won by the Liberal Party, and Richard Seddon became Prime Minister.
1893 was the year universal suffrage was granted to women over 21 (including Māori), plural registration was abolished, plural voting for Māori property-owners was abolished, and only those whose descent was exactly half Māori were allowed to choose whether to vote in European or Māori electorates. Women's suffrage was the most consequential change.
1892 electoral redistribution
The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1890 for the 1890 election. The 1891 New Zealand census was the first to automatically trigger an electoral redistribution, which was undertaken in 1892. The population drift to the North Island resulted in the transfer of one electorate from the south to the north. Only three electorates remained with unaltered boundaries: Thames, Wairarapa, and Timaru. 14 new electorates were established, and of those, eight electorates were established for the first time: Bay of Plenty, Otaki, Pareora, Patea, Riccarton, Waiapu, Waimea-Sounds, and Wellington Suburbs. The remaining six electorates had existed before, and they were re-established for the 12th Parliament: Caversham, Chalmers, Lyttelton, Rangitata, Waihemo, and Waipa.
Women's suffrage
By far the most notable change for the 1893 election was that the Electoral Act, 1893, extended the franchise to all women (including Māori) aged 21 and over. Women's suffrage was granted after about two decades of campaigning by women such as Kate Sheppard and Mary Ann Müller and organisations such as the New Zealand branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union led by Anne Ward.[4] Of countries presently independent, New Zealand was the first to give women the vote in modern times.[5] John Hall, a Conservative politician and former premier, received most of the credit for pushing the legislation through Parliament; he is the only male who has his name inscribed on the Kate Sheppard National Memorial.[5] There were only 10 weeks between the passage of the legislation and the election, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) set about to enrol as many women as possible.[4]
The bill had passed under the Liberal government which generally advocated social and political reform, but only due to a combination of personality issues and political accident. Seddon opposed it (unlike many other Liberals) because many women supported prohibition. He had expected to stop the bill in the upper house, but found that one more vote was needed. Thomas Kelly, a new Liberal Party councillor had left himself paired in favour of the measure, but Seddon obtained his consent by wire to change his vote. Seddon's manipulation so incensed two opposition councillors, William Reynolds and Edward Stevens that they changed sides and voted for the bill, which was passed by 20 votes to 18 so giving the vote to women.[6] Both the Liberals and the Conservatives subsequently claimed credit for sponsoring the enfranchisement of women and both sought to acquire women's votes, although the Liberals benefitted more.
The election
The 1893 election was held on Tuesday, 28 November in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 74 MPs to the 12th Parliament.[8][9]
A total number of 302,997 (75.3%) voters turned out to vote.[10] 65% of all eligible New Zealand women voted in the 1893 election.[4] In 3 seats there was only one candidate. 31 and 39 electorates were in the North Island and South Island, respectively, plus the 4 Māori electorates.
Results
File:Codlin's the friend.jpg
An 1893 cartoon depicting William Rolleston urging women to vote for the Conservative Party to whom they "owe the franchise".
Party totals
The following table gives party strengths and vote distribution according to Wilson (1985), who records Maori representatives as Independents prior to the 1905 election.
|
Election results |
Party |
Candidates |
Total votes |
Percentage |
Seats won |
Change |
style="width: 5px; background-color: #FFDF00;" data-sort-value="New Zealand Liberal Party" | |
Liberal |
103 |
175,814 |
57.80% |
51 |
+11 |
style="width: 5px; background-color: Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color;" data-sort-value="Conservative (New Zealand)" | |
[[Conservative (New Zealand)|Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shortname]] |
55 |
74,482 |
24.49% |
13 |
-12 |
style="width: 5px; background-color: #DDDDDD;" data-sort-value="Independent politician" | |
Independent |
49 |
53,880 |
17.71% |
10 |
+1 |
|
Total |
207 |
302,997 |
|
74 |
|
Votes summary
Popular Vote |
|
|
|
|
|
Liberal and Liberal-Labour |
|
57.80% |
Conservative |
|
24.49% |
Independents |
|
17.71% |
Parliament seats |
|
|
|
|
|
Liberal |
|
68.91% |
Conservative |
|
17.58% |
Independents |
|
13.51% |
Electorate results
The following is a table of electorate results by electorate. Key
Liberal [[Conservative (New Zealand)|Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shortname]] [[Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)|Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shortname]] Independent Liberal Independent
Electorate results for the 1893 New Zealand general election[14][15][16]
Electorate |
Incumbent |
Winner |
Majority |
Runner up |
General electorates |
Ashburton |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Edward George Wright |
|
John McLachlan |
26 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Cathcart Wason |
Ashley |
|
Richard Meredith |
590 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
David Duncan Macfarlane |
Auckland, City of |
|
John Shera |
|
George Grey |
2,233 |
|
Thomas Tudehope[nb 1][17] |
|
Thomas Thompson |
|
William Crowther |
438 |
|
Alfred Cadman |
|
style="text-align:center;background-color:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | Charles Button |
68 |
Avon |
|
Edwin Blake |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | William Tanner |
653 |
|
George McIntyre |
Awarua |
|
Joseph Ward |
(uncontested) |
Bay of Islands |
|
Robert Houston |
231 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
James Trounsen[18] |
Bay of Plenty |
(new electorate) |
|
William Kelly |
209 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Henry Burton[19] |
Bruce |
style="width:5px; text-align:center; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading"| James Allen |
(uncontested) |
Buller |
|
Eugene O'Conor |
|
Roderick McKenzie |
213 |
|
Eugene O'Conor |
Caversham |
(new electorate) |
|
Arthur Morrison |
136 |
|
William Barron |
Chalmers |
(new electorate) |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | John A. Millar |
119 |
|
Edmund Allen |
Christchurch, City of |
|
William Pember Reeves |
1,848 |
|
Ebenezer Sandford[nb 2] |
|
Ebenezer Sandford |
|
George Smith |
916 |
|
Richard Molesworth Taylor |
|
William Whitehouse Collins |
281 |
Clutha |
|
Thomas Mackenzie |
832 |
|
James Burgh[20] |
Dunedin, City of |
|
colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | David Pinkerton |
1,294 |
|
Henry Fish[nb 3] |
|
Henry Fish |
|
style="text-align:center;background-color:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | William Earnshaw |
589 |
|
William Hutchison |
294 |
Eden |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | Edwin Mitchelson |
1,161 |
|
Malcolm Niccol[21] |
Egmont |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | Felix McGuire |
135 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Benjamin Robbins |
Ellesmere |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
John Hall |
|
William Montgomery |
293 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
William Rolleston |
Franklin |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Ebenezer Hamlin |
|
Benjamin Harris |
89 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
William Massey |
Grey |
|
Arthur Guinness |
1,723 |
|
Richard Nancarrow |
Hawke's Bay |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | William Russell |
70 |
|
Charles William Reardon[22] |
Inangahua |
|
Robert Stout |
|
Patrick O'Regan |
204 |
|
William Goodwin Collings |
Invercargill |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | James Whyte Kelly |
1,242 |
|
Joseph Hatch |
Kaiapoi |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Richard Moore |
|
David Buddo |
87 |
|
Richard Moore |
Lyttelton |
(new electorate) |
|
John Joyce |
1,041 |
|
Edwin Blake |
Manukau |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Frank Buckland |
|
Maurice O'Rorke |
252 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Frank Buckland |
Marsden |
|
Robert Thompson[nb 4] |
1,010 |
|
James Harrison[18] |
Masterton |
|
Alexander Hogg |
1,228 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Joseph Harkness |
Mataura |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Richardson |
|
Robert McNab |
119 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Richardson |
Napier |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Swan |
|
Samuel Carnell |
520 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Swan |
Nelson |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Joseph Harkness |
|
John Graham |
279 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Richmond Hursthouse |
New Plymouth |
|
Edward Smith |
491 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Robert Trimble |
Oamaru |
|
Thomas Duncan |
416 |
|
PB Fraser |
Otaki |
(new electorate) |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | James Wilson |
195 |
|
Donald Fraser[23] |
Palmerston |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
James Wilson |
|
Frederick Pirani |
203 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Matthew Snelson[24] |
Pareora |
(new electorate) |
|
Frederick Flatman |
217 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Arthur Rhodes |
Parnell |
|
Frank Lawry |
334 |
|
William Shepherd Allen |
Patea |
(new electorate) |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | George Hutchison |
673 |
|
William Cowern |
Rangitata |
(new electorate) |
|
William Maslin |
67 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Edward George Wright |
Rangitikei |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Robert Bruce |
|
John Stevens |
176 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Frank Lethbridge |
Riccarton |
(new electorate) |
|
George Warren Russell |
106 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
William Boag |
Selwyn |
|
Alfred Saunders |
232 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Thomas Hamilton Anson |
Taieri |
|
Walter Carncross |
76 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
John Buckland |
Thames |
|
James McGowan |
311 |
|
Edmund Taylor |
Timaru |
|
William Hall-Jones |
407 |
|
Edward George Kerr |
Tuapeka |
|
Hugh Valentine |
|
Vincent Pyke |
340 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Charles Rawlins |
Waihemo |
(new electorate) |
|
John McKenzie |
324 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Scobie Mackenzie |
Waiapu |
(new electorate) |
|
James Carroll |
497 |
|
Cecil de Lautour |
Waikato |
|
Edward Lake |
|
Alfred Cadman |
75 |
|
Isaac Coates[15] |
Waikouaiti |
|
James Green |
510 |
|
George J. Bruce[25] |
Waimea-Sounds |
(new electorate) |
|
Charles H. Mills |
333 |
|
H Everett |
Waipa |
(new electorate) |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | Frederic Lang |
989 |
|
Gerald Peacock[26] |
Waipawa |
|
William Smith |
|
Charles Hall |
378 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
George Hunter |
Wairarapa |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | Walter Clarke Buchanan |
690 |
|
George Augustus Fairbrother[27] |
Wairau |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
colspan=3 style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Liberal–Labour (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | Lindsay Buick |
322 |
|
William Sinclair |
Waitaki |
|
John McKenzie |
|
William Steward |
1,062 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Thomas Paterson[28] |
Waitemata |
|
Jackson Palmer |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | Richard Monk |
239 |
|
Jackson Palmer |
Wakatipu |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Thomas Fergus |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading" | William Fraser |
326 |
|
John O'Meara |
Wallace |
|
James Mackintosh |
433 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Henry Hirst |
Wanganui |
|
Archibald Willis |
197 |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Gilbert Carson |
Wellington, City of |
|
colspan=3 style="text-align:center;background-color:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | John Duthie |
|
|
Kennedy Macdonald |
|
George Fisher |
|
style="text-align:center;background-color:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | Francis Bell |
|
|
William McLean |
|
Sir Robert Stout |
|
Wellington Suburbs |
(new electorate) |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
style="text-align:center; font-weight:bold;background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/shading;" | Alfred Newman |
124 |
|
Thomas Wilford |
Westland |
|
Richard Seddon |
(uncontested) |
Māori electorates[nb 5] |
Eastern Maori |
|
James Carroll |
|
Wi Pere |
1,399 |
|
Hoani Paraone Tunuiarangi |
Northern Maori |
|
Eparaima Te Mutu Kapa |
|
Hone Heke Ngapua |
507 |
|
Eparaima Te Mutu Kapa |
Southern Maori |
|
Tame Parata |
185 |
|
Teoti Pita Mutu |
Western Maori |
style="width:5px; background:Template:Conservative (New Zealand)/meta/color" | |
Hoani Taipua |
|
Ropata Te Ao |
90 |
|
Pepene Eketone |
Table footnotes:
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Notes
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References
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External links
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Women's Suffrage in New Zealand by Patricia Grimshaw, p 92. (1972, Auckland University Press)
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