15th New Zealand Parliament

The 15th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. It was elected at the 1902 general election in November and December of that year.

15th Parliament of New Zealand
←14th Parliament 16th Parliament→
Overview
Legislative bodyNew Zealand Parliament
Term29 June 1903 – 30 October 1905
Election1902 New Zealand general election
GovernmentLiberal Government
House of Representatives
Members80
Speaker of the HouseArthur Guinness
PremierRichard Seddon
Leader of the OppositionWilliam Massey
Legislative Council
Members46 (at start)
41 (at end)
Speaker of the CouncilCharles Bowen
— Richard Reeves acting 23 March - 30 June 1905
— Alfred Cadman until 23 March 1905 †
— John Rigg acting 5 January - 7 July 1904
— William Walker until 5 January 1904†
— Henry Miller until 9 July 1903
Sovereign
MonarchHM Edward VII
GovernorHE Rt. Hon. THe Lord Plunket
— HE Rt. Hon. The Earl of Ranfurly until 20 June 1904

1902 electoral redistribution

The Representation Act 1900 had increased the membership of the House of Representatives from general electorates 70 to 76, and this was implemented through the 1902 electoral redistribution. In 1902, changes to the country quota affected the three-member electorates in the four main centres. The tolerance between electorates was increased to ±1,250 so that the Representation Commissions (since 1896, there had been separate commissions for the North and South Islands) could take greater account of communities of interest. These changes proved very disruptive to existing boundaries.[1] Six electorates were established for the first time: Courtenay, Newtown, Grey Lynn , Hurunui, Oroua, and Kaipara. Two electorates that previously existed were re-established: Mount Ida and Hutt.[2]

This boundary redistribution resulted in the abolition of three electorates:[2]

1902 general election
Main article: 1902 New Zealand general election

The 1902 general election was held on Tuesday, 25 November in the general electorates and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates, respectively.[3] A total of 80 MPs were elected; 38 represented North Island electorates, 38 represented South Island electorates, and the remaining four represented Māori electorates.[4] 415,789 voters were enrolled and the official turnout at the election was 76.7%.[3]

Sessions

The 15th Parliament sat for three sessions, and was prorogued on 15 November 1905.[5]

SessionOpenedAdjourned
first29 June 190324 November 1903
second28 June 19048 November 1904
third27 June 190531 October 1905

Ministries

The Liberal Government of New Zealand had taken office on 24 January 1891.[6] The Seddon Ministry under Richard Seddon had taken office in 1893 during the term of the 11th Parliament.[7] The Seddon Ministry remained in power for the whole term of this Parliament and held power until Seddon's death on 10 June 1906.[8]

Party composition

Start of term
PartySeats
Liberal || 47
Conservative || 19
Independent || 10
Other4
Source[9]

Initial composition of the 15th Parliament

The following are the results of the 1902 general election:

Key

  Liberal   Conservative   Independent Liberal   Liberal–Labour   Independent

Electorate results for the 1902 New Zealand general election[10][11]
Electorate Incumbent Winner Majority Runner up
General electorates
Ashburton John McLachlan 439 John Studholme
Auckland, City of William Joseph Napier Alfred Kidd 934 William Richardson
Joseph Witheford 1,515 William Joseph Napier
George Fowlds Frederick Baume 2,282 Arthur Rosser
Avon William Tanner 58 John Russell Brunt
Awarua Joseph Ward 1,882 David Whyte
Bay of Islands Robert Houston 410 A G C Glass
Bay of Plenty William Herries 626 D Lundon
Bruce James Allen 1,113 J A Scott
Buller James Colvin 2,601 Frank Isitt
Caversham Thomas Sidey 444 William Earnshaw
Chalmers New electorate Edmund Allen 612 John White
Christchurch, City of George John Smith Tommy Taylor 899 William Whitehouse Collins
Harry Ell 901 George John Smith
William Whitehouse Collins Thomas Davey 2,233 Arthur Hughes Turnbull
Clutha James William Thomson 640 Daniel Stewart
Courtenay New electorate Charles Lewis 350 John Rennie
Dunedin, City of Alfred Richard Barclay Harry Bedford 1,321 Alfred Richard Barclay
John A. Millar
3,775 R Chisholm
James Arnold
Eden John Bollard 1,628 P E Cheal
Egmont Walter Symes William Thomas Jennings 15 Charles Leech[12]
Ellesmere Heaton Rhodes 501 C R Thornton
Franklin William Massey 1,176 Alfred Richard Harris
Geraldine Frederick Flatman 972 William Maslin
Grey Arthur Guinness 2,145 Frank Isitt
Grey Lynn New electorate George Fowlds 118 T T Masefield
Hawera Felix McGuire Charles E. Major 21 Felix McGuire
Hawke's Bay William Russell 1,443 Frank Isitt
Hurunui New electorate Andrew Rutherford 697 Henry Fear Reece
Hutt New electorate Thomas Wilford 441 Frederick Pirani
Invercargill Josiah Hanan 1,508 David Whyte
Kaiapoi David Buddo 1,256 Alfred Daniel Hassall
Kaipara New electorate Alfred Harding 359 John Stallworthy
Lyttelton George Laurenson 2,172 William Rollitt
Manawatu John Stevens Job Vile 176 John Stevens
Manukau Sir Maurice O'Rorke Matthew Kirkbride 227 Sir Maurice O'Rorke
Marsden Robert Thompson Francis Mander 58 Robert Thompson
Masterton Alexander Hogg 948 J C Cooper
Mataura Robert McNab 438 J W Raymond
Motueka Roderick McKenzie 1,838 Frank Isitt
Mount Ida New electorate Alexander Herdman 131 John Ewing
Napier Alfred Fraser 1,490 Richard Joseph Eames[13]
Nelson John Graham 14 Harry Atmore
Newtown New electorate William Henry Peter Barber 28 Thomas Hislop
Oamaru Thomas Young Duncan 880 John Marshall Brown[14]
Ohinemuri Jackson Palmer Edward George Britton Moss 186 Jackson Palmer
Oroua New electorate Frank Lethbridge 613 Arthur Henry Tompkins
Otaki William Hughes Field 1,510 Frank Isitt
Pahiatua John O'Meara 337 Samuel Bolton
Palmerston Frederick Pirani William Thomas Wood 384 T R Hodder
Parnell Frank Lawry 124 John Shera
Patea Frederick Haselden Walter Symes 451 Frederick Haselden
Rangitikei Frank Lethbridge Arthur Remington 247 W J Birch
Riccarton George Warren Russell George Witty 285 George Warren Russell
Selwyn Charles Hardy 543 Joseph Ivess
Taieri Walter Carncross Donald Reid 354 J J Ramsay
Taranaki Edward Smith 314 Henry Okey
Thames James McGowan 885 William Henry Lucas
Timaru William Hall-Jones 1,651 F H Smith
Tuapeka James Bennet 66 Robert Gilkison
Waipawa Charles Hall 1,568 James Taylor
Waikato Frederic Lang 225 Henry Greenslade
Waikouaiti Edmund Allen Thomas Mackenzie 1,846 Frank Isitt
Wairarapa J. T. Marryat Hornsby Walter Clarke Buchanan 66 J. T. Marryat Hornsby
Wairau Charles H. Mills 411 John Duncan
Waitaki William Steward 592 John Campbell
Waitemata Richard Monk Ewen Alison 714 Alexander John Hatfield[15]
Waiapu James Carroll 1,670 Frank Isitt
Wakatipu William Fraser 449 Robert Beatson Ross
Wallace Michael Gilfedder John Thomson 793 Michael Gilfedder
Wanganui Archibald Willis 1,438 J W Baker
Wellington, City of John Hutcheson John Aitken 380 Patrick O'Regan
Arthur Atkinson John Duthie 591 Arthur Atkinson
George Fisher 1,921 John Findlay
Westland Richard Seddon 2,696 Frank Isitt
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori Wi Pere 614 Pirimi Mataiawhea
Northern Maori Hone Heke 1,546 Hāmiora Mangakāhia
Southern Maori Tame Parata 80 Hone Taare Tikao
Western Maori Henare Kaihau 2,370 Ngarangi Katitia

Changes during 15th Parliament

There were a number of changes during the term of the 15th Parliament.

By-elections
Electorate and by-electionDateIncumbentCauseWinner
Pahiatua 1904 28 July John O'Meara Death Bill Hawkins
City of Wellington 1905 6 April George Fisher Death Frank Fisher

Defections
NameYearSeatFromTo
Alfred Harding 1905 Kaipara Conservative New Liberal
Francis Fisher 1905 City of Wellington Independent Liberal
George Laurenson 1905 Lyttelton Liberal
Harry Bedford 1905 City of Dunedin Independent Liberal
Tommy Taylor 1905 City of Christchurch

Notes
  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 67f.
  2. McRobie 1989, pp. 63–68.
  3. "General elections 1853–2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  4. Scholefield 1950, p. 90.
  5. Scholefield 1950, p. 69.
  6. Scholefield 1950, p. 40.
  7. Scholefield 1950, pp. 40–41.
  8. Hamer, David. "Seddon, Richard John - Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 December 2011.
  9. "1890–1993 general elections | Elections". Elections.nz. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  10. "The General Election, 1902". National Library. 1903. pp. 1–4. Retrieved 8 February 2012.
  11. "The Elections". The Press. Vol. LIX, no. 11436. 21 November 1902. p. 2. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  12. "Mr Charles Leech". Auckland Star. Vol. XXXIII, no. 281. 26 November 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 14 March 2014.
  13. "Electoral District of Napier". Hawke's Bay Herald. Vol. XXXVII, no. 12308. 1 December 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
  14. "Electoral District of Oamaru". The Oamaru Mail. Vol. XXVIII, no. 8060. 29 November 1902. p. 3. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  15. "Page 18 Advertisements Column 1". Observer. Vol. XXIII, no. 10. 22 November 1902. p. 18. Retrieved 3 December 2014.

References
  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
  • 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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