New Zealand general election, 1905

1905 general election

1902 ← 6 (general) & 20 December (Māori) 1905 → 1908

All 80 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives 41 seats were needed for a majority Turnout 83.3%   First party Second party   Leader Richard Seddon No Leader Party Liberal Independent Leader since 1893 Leader's seat Westland Last election 47 seats 33 seats Seats won 58 22 Seat change 11 11 Popular vote N/A N/A Percentage N/A N/A Swing N/A N/A

Prime Minister before election Richard Seddon Liberal Prime Minister-designate Richard Seddon Liberal

The New Zealand general election of 1905 was held on Wednesday, 6 December in the general electorates, and on Wednesday, 20 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 16th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 412,702 voters turned out, with 396,657 (83.25% of the electoral roll) voting in the European electorates.^[1][2][3]

1903 the City Single Electorates Act declared that at the dissolution of the 15th Parliament, the four multi-member electorates would be abolished and replaced each with three single-member electorates. It was also the year absentee voting was introduced for all electors unable to be in their own electorate on election day; first Chief Electoral Officer appointed.

In 1905 a progressive faction within the Liberal Party started to form in opposition to Liberal leader Richard Seddon's policies. They announced that they would stand in the election as the New Liberal Party, however an accusation against Seddon's son, when disproven saw most of the dissidents return to the Liberal Party, and of the three New Liberals (Francis Fisher, Harry Bedford and Tommy Taylor) that stood in the election only Fisher was returned.

The Rev Frank Isitt was the Prohibition candidate for several South Island electorates, and came second in two.

Results

European electorates
Electorate	Incumbent	Winner	Second Place
Ashburton	John McLachlan	John McLachlan	Studholme
Auckland Central	(new electorate)	Alfred Kidd	L J Bagnall
Auckland East	(new electorate)	Frederick Baume	H Bamford
Auckland West	(new electorate)	Charles Poole	Christopher Parr
Avon	William Tanner	William Tanner	John Russell Brunt
Awarua	Joseph Ward	Joseph Ward	H S Woodnorth
Bay of Islands	Robert Houston	Robert Houston	J C Johnson
Bay of Plenty	William Herbert Herries	William Herbert Herries	J Foster
Bruce	James Allen	James Allen	W D Mason
Buller	James Colvin	James Colvin	Frank Isitt
Caversham	Thomas Sidey	Thomas Sidey	William Earnshaw
Chalmers	Edmund Allen	Edmund Allen	W Pryor
Christchurch East	(new electorate)	Thomas Davey	H F Toogood
Christchurch North	(new electorate)	Charles Matthew Gray	Tommy Taylor
Christchurch South	(new electorate)	Harry Ell	C H Winny
Clutha	James Thomson	Alexander Malcolm	D Stewart
Courtenay	Charles Lewis	Charles Lewis	T J McBride
Dunedin Central	(new electorate)	John A. Millar	A S Adam
Dunedin North	(new electorate)	Alfred Richard Barclay	Harry Bedford
Dunedin South	(new electorate)	James Frederick Arnold	William Downie Stewart
Eden	John Bollard	John Bollard	R French
Egmont	William Thomas Jennings	William Thomas Jennings	C Leech
Ellesmere	Robert Rhodes	Robert Rhodes	G Rennie
Franklin	William Massey	William Massey	W W McCardle
Geraldine	Frederick Flatman	Frederick Flatman	W Jeffries
Grey	Arthur Guinness	Arthur Guinness	J Petrie
Grey Lynn	George Fowlds	George Fowlds	J Farrell
Hawera	Charles E. Major	Charles E. Major	Felix McGuire
Hawke's Bay	William Russell	Alfred Dillon	William Russell
Hurunui	Andrew Rutherford	Andrew Rutherford	O F Clothier
Hutt	Thomas Mason Wilford	Thomas Mason Wilford	G M Yerex
Invercargill	Josiah Hanan	Josiah Hanan	I W Raymond
Kaiapoi	David Buddo	David Buddo	R Moore
Kaipara	Alfred Harding	John Stallworthy	Alfred Harding
Lyttelton	George Laurenson	George Laurenson	William Radcliffe
Manawatu	Job Vile	John Stevens	Job Vile
Manukau	Matthew Kirkbride	Matthew Kirkbride	R D Stewart
Marsden	Francis Mander	Francis Mander	Robert Thompson
Masterton	Alexander Wilson Hogg	Alexander Wilson Hogg	J C Cooper
Mataura	Robert McNab	Robert McNab	T MacGiddon
Motueka	Roderick McKenzie	Roderick McKenzie	Frank Isitt
Mount Ida	Alexander Herdman	John MacPherson	Alexander Herdman
Napier	Alfred Fraser	Alfred Fraser	M W P Lascelles
Nelson	John Graham	John Graham	Harry Atmore
Newtown	William Henry Peter Barber	William Henry Peter Barber	Thomas William Hislop
Oamaru	Thomas Young Duncan	Thomas Young Duncan	J Mitchell
Ohinemuri	Edward George Britton Moss	Hugh Poland	Edward George Britton Moss
Oroua	Frank Yates Lethbridge	Frank Yates Lethbridge	O C Pleasants
Otaki	William Hughes Field	William Hughes Field	B P Brown
Pahiatua	William Henry Hawkins	Robert Beatson Ross	William Henry Hawkins
Palmerston	William Wood	William Wood	Frederick Pirani
Parnell	Frank Lawry	Frank Lawry	M McLean
Patea	Walter Symes	Walter Symes	John Hine
Rangitikei	Arthur Remington	Arthur Remington	J R Sommerville
Riccarton	George Witty	George Witty	Thomas Henson Caverhill
Selwyn	Charles Hardy	Charles Hardy	Joseph Ivess
Taieri	Donald Reid	Donald Reid	A Marshall
Taranaki	Edward Smith	Edward Smith	Henry James Okey
Thames	James McGowan	James McGowan	M Fleming
Timaru	William Hall-Jones	William Hall-Jones	Francis Joseph Rolleston
Tuapeka	James Bennet	James Bennet	R Gilkison
Waiapu	James Carroll	James Carroll	W L Clayton
Waikato	Frederic William Lang	Henry Greenslade	Frederic William Lang
Waikouaiti	Thomas Mackenzie	Thomas Mackenzie	Edward Henry Clark
Waipawa	Charles Hall	Charles Hall	G Hunter
Wairarapa	Walter Clarke Buchanan	John Hornsby	Walter Clarke Buchanan
Wairau	Charles Mills	Charles Mills	John Duncan
Waitaki	William Steward	William Steward	G Dash
Waitemata	Ewen Alison	Ewen Alison	C H Clinkard
Wakatipu	William Fraser	William Fraser	Michael Gilfedder
Wallace	John C Thomson	John C Thomson	D Macpherson
Wanganui	Archibald Willis	James Thomas Hogan	Archibald Willis
Wellington Central	(new electorate)	Francis Fisher	Patrick O'Regan
Wellington East	(new electorate)	John Aitken	William McLean
Wellington North	(new electorate)	Charles Izard	John Duthie
Westland	Richard Seddon	Richard Seddon	H Cowin
Maori electorates
Electorate	Incumbent	Winner	Second Place
Eastern Maori	Wiremu Pere	Apirana Ngata	Wiremu Pere
Northern Maori	Hone Heke	Hone Heke	Ru Reweti
Southern Maori	Tame Parata	Tame Parata	John Hopere Wharewiti Uru
Western Maori	Henare Kaihau	Henare Kaihau	Te Heuheu Tukino

Summary of Changes

The multi-member urban electorates of City of Auckland, City of Christchurch, City of Dunedin and City of Wellington were abolished and replaced with the following single-member seats:

• Auckland Central
• Auckland East
• Auckland West
• Christchurch East
• Christchurch North
• Christchurch South
• Wellington Central
• Wellington East
• Wellington North
• Dunedin Central
• Dunedin North
• Dunedin South

References

1. ^ "New Zealand Elections 1905-1943". NZES. http://www.nzes.org/exec/getdata/NZ_elections_1905-43.xls. Retrieved 13 August 2011. 
2. ^ "General elections 1853-2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/resultsdata/elections-dates-turnout.html. Retrieved 12 January 2011. 
3. ^ "Results of the Polls". Ashburton Guardian, Volume xxii, Issue 6742. 7 December 1905. p. 2. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AG19051207.2.12. Retrieved 24 August 2011.