1853 New Zealanders general election
14 July – 1 October 1853 1855 →
All 37 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives
  First party
 
Party Independent
Last election 37 seats
Seats won 37
Seat change Increase 37

The 1853 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's first term. It was the first national election ever held in New Zealand, although Parliament did not yet have full authority to govern the colony, which was part of the British Empire at that time. Elections for the first provincial councils and their Superintendents were held at the same time.[1]

Background

Election poster in support of William Barnard Rhodes, standing for Wellington Country

The New Zealand Constitution Act 1852, passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, established a bicameral New Zealand Parliament, with the lower house (the House of Representatives) being elected by popular vote. Votes were to be cast under a simple FPP system, and the secret ballot had not yet been introduced.

To qualify as a voter, one needed to be male, to be a British subject, to be at least 21 years old, to own a certain value of land, and to not be serving a criminal sentence. One of the candidates elected (on 27 August, for Christchurch Country) was a landowner, but at 20 years and 7 months was not yet 21: he was James Stuart-Wortley.

At the time of the 1853 elections, there were no political parties in New Zealand. As such, all candidates were independents.

The election

In the 1853 elections, election day was different in each seat. The first seat to be elected was Bay of Islands on 14 July, and the final election day was on 1 October.[2] Hugh Carleton (Bay of Islands) was the first MP ever elected in New Zealand (though he was elected unopposed), so he liked to be called the Father of the House.[3]

There were 5,849 people registered to vote.[2] The number of electoral districts was 24, and some districts elected multiple MPs. The total number of seats was 37.[2] Some parts of the colony were not part of any district, and did not have representation in Parliament.[4]

Results

Member Electorate Province Election date
William Moorhouse Akaroa Canterbury 24 August[5]
Thomas Bartley AucklandCity of Auckland Auckland 11 August[6]
Loughlin O'Brien AucklandCity of Auckland Auckland 11 August[7]
James O'Neill AucklandCity of Auckland Auckland 11 August[8]
Frederick Merriman Suburbs of Auckland Auckland 10 August[9]
William Porter Suburbs of Auckland Auckland 10 August[10]
Hugh Carleton Bay of Islands Auckland 14 July[11]
James Stuart-Wortley Christchurch Country Canterbury 27 August[12]
Jerningham Wakefield Christchurch Country Canterbury 27 August[13]
Henry Sewell ChristchurchTown of Christchurch Canterbury 20 August[14]
John Cargill Dunedin Country Otago 1 October[11]
William Cutten Dunedin Country Otago 1 October[15]
James Macandrew DunedinTown of Dunedin Otago 27 September[16]
Thomas King Grey and Bell New Plymouth 27 August[17]
Alfred Ludlam Hutt Wellington 18 August[18]
Edward Gibbon Wakefield Hutt Wellington 19 August[13]
James FitzGerald LytteltonTown of Lyttelton Canterbury 17 August[19]
Alfred Picard Motueka and Massacre Bay Nelson 18 August[20]
James Mackay NelsonTown of Nelson Nelson 25 July[21]
William Travers NelsonTown of Nelson Nelson 25 July[22]
Francis Gledhill New PlymouthTown of New Plymouth New Plymouth 26 August[23]
Thomas Forsaith Northern Division Auckland 23 August[24]
Walter Lee Northern Division Auckland 23 August[18]
William Crompton Omata New Plymouth 26 August[15]
John Bacot Pensioner Settlements Auckland 13 August[25]
Joseph Greenwood Pensioner Settlements Auckland 13 August[26]
Charles Taylor Southern Division Auckland 23 August[27]
John Gray Southern Division Auckland 23 August[26]
William Cautley Waimea Nelson 16 August[28]
David Monro Waimea Nelson 16 August[5]
Samuel Revans Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay Wellington 12 August[29]
Frederick Weld Wairau Nelson 2 August[30]
Isaac Featherston Wanganui and Rangitikei Wellington 12 August[31]
Charles Clifford WellingtonCity of Wellington Wellington 15 August[28]
Robert Hart WellingtonCity of Wellington Wellington 15 August[32]
James Kelham WellingtonCity of Wellington Wellington 15 August[17]
William Rhodes Wellington Country Wellington 18 August[33]

References

  1. ^ Brett 2016, p. 61.
  2. ^ a b c "General elections 1853-2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. Archived from the original on 14 November 2014. Retrieved 12 September 2010.
  3. ^ McLintock, A. H., ed. (23 April 2009) [First published in 1966]. "Carleton, Hugh Francis". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  4. ^ Wilson 1985.
  5. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 127.
  6. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 95.
  7. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 129.
  8. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 130.
  9. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 126.
  10. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 133.
  11. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 99.
  12. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 141.
  13. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 145.
  14. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 138.
  15. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 102.
  16. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 121.
  17. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 118.
  18. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 120.
  19. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 106.
  20. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 132.
  21. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 123.
  22. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 144.
  23. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 108.
  24. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 107.
  25. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 94.
  26. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 109.
  27. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 143.
  28. ^ a b Scholefield 1950, p. 100.
  29. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 134.
  30. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 147.
  31. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 105.
  32. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 112.
  33. ^ Scholefield 1950, p. 135.

Bibliography

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