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1889 Lincoln by-election

← 1887 general 16 January 1889 (1889-01-16) 1890 general →
Turnout	1008
Candidate Alfred Saunders John Ollivier Party Independent Independent Popular vote 676 332 Percentage 67.06% 32.94%
MP before election Arthur O'Callaghan Independent Elected MP Alfred Saunders Independent

A 1889 by-election in the Lincoln electorate was held to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Arthur O'Callaghan from the Lincoln electorate. The by-election was won by Alfred Saunders, who beat John Ollivier.

Background

Since the Lincoln electorate was established in 1881, it had been held by Arthur O'Callaghan. O'Callaghan was taken to the Christchurch Magistrate's Court over unpaid wages towards the end of 1888. He became insolvent and resigned from Parliament on 9 November 1888. John Ollivier, best known for his activities on the Canterbury Provincial Council and last represented in Parliament in 1860, announced his candidacy on the day of O'Callaghan's resignation. Other possible candidates whose interest was discussed in the media were Edward George Wright, William Rolleston and Alfred Saunders. Wright had contested the 1887 election in the Avon electorate and had been beaten by Edwin Blake. Rolleston had contested the Rangitata electorate in 1887 and had been beaten by Searby Buxton, ending 19 uninterrupted years as a Member of the House of Representatives.

In an editorial, the Wanganui Chronicle argued that Rolleston should be returned for his immense ability. The editor of the Ashburton Guardian put forward that if all four candidates should contest the election, then Ollivier would have the best chance of getting elected, as he was the only opposition politician, whereas the other three would split the votes as ministerialists. The editor of The Evening Post' lamented that it was likely that Saunders was to be returned:

During the last 20 years we have never known any member of the House of Representatives so politically disliked and distrusted on all sides as was Mr. Saunders when he occupied a seat in that Chamber.

With John Woodward, another candidate came forward. At a meeting in Springston on 23 November 1888, the political novice spoke to a large crowd. Never having addressed a large audience before, the nervous speaker had to read much of his message. He finished the meeting by singing a hymn that he had composed himself, 'God Bless New Zealand', to the tune of the national anthem. Possibly due to the performance of the hymn, papers all over New Zealand reported on the meeting.

At the nomination meeting on 9 January 1889, Ollivier and Saunders were put forward, with the latter winning the show of hands. Saunders congratulated Ollivier for the humorous and witty campaign and remarked that "he had not heard a more amusing speech at a nomination than that of Mr Ollivier". The by-election was held on 16 January and was won by Saunders with 676 votes to 332.

Results

Results of the Lincoln by-election held on 16 January 1889 were:

There were 11 polling booths. Ollivier won the booths in Cass, Springfield and Darfield. Saunders won the booths in Lincoln, Springston, Yaldhurst, West Melton, Prebbleton, Sheffield, Halkett, and Kirwee.

Saunders represented the electorate until the end of the term in 1890, at which time the electorate was abolished. He successfully contested the Selwyn electorate in the 1890 election.

Notes

1. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 266.
2. "MHR Sued For Debt". Wanganui Chronicle. Vol. XXXI, no. 11353. 8 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
3. ^ "By the Way". Mataura Ensign. Vol. 11, no. 825. 16 November 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
4. Wilson 1985, p. 224.
5. "Resignation of an M.H.R." Evening Post. Vol. XXXVI, no. 113. 10 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
6. ^ "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. pp. 2–3. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
7. Wilson 1985, p. 231.
8. "Editorial". Wanganui Chronicle. Vol. XXXI, no. 11355. 22 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
9. "Editorial". Ashburton Guardian. Vol. VII, no. 1997. 15 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
10. "Evening Post". Evening Post. Vol. XXXVI, no. 139. 11 December 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
11. "The Lincoln Seat". The Press. Vol. XLV, no. 7212. 24 November 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
12. "Lincoln Electorate". Star. No. 6404. 24 November 1888. p. 4. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
13. "Farcial Election Meeting". Auckland Star. Vol. XIX, no. 278. 24 November 1888. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
14. "A Jovial Parliamentary Candidate". Evening Post. Vol. XXXVI, no. 125. 24 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
15. "The Lincoln Seat". The Marlborough Express. Vol. XXIV, no. 262. 24 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
16. "Lincoln Election". Star. No. 6441. 10 January 1889. p. 4. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
17. "The Lincoln Seat". The Press. Vol. XLVI, no. 7251. 10 January 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
18. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 233.
19. ^ "Lincoln Election". The Press. Vol. XLVI, no. 7258. 18 January 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2012.

References

• Wilson, James Oakley (1985) . New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840–1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.

v t e By-elections in New Zealand in the pre-party era (1853–1890)   » (1891–1911) »
1st Parliament	Nelson, 1854 Waimea, 1854 City of Auckland, 1854
2nd Parliament	Motueka and Massacre Bay, 1856 Christchurch Country, 1856 Grey and Bell, 1856 Christchurch, 1856 Hutt, 1856 Auckland, 1858 Pensioner Settlements, 1858 Southern Division, 1858 Grey and Bell, 1858 Waimea, 1858 Wairau, 1858 Town of Lyttelton, 1858 Akaroa, 1858 Dunedin Country, 1858 Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay, 1858 Wellington, 1858 Wellington Country, 1858 Hutt, 1858 Dunedin, 1859
Supplementary elections, 1859	Cheviot Marsden Wairarapa Wallace
2nd Parliament (continued)	Waimea, 1859 Christchurch, 1860 Suburbs of Auckland, Jan 1860 Suburbs of Auckland, Apr 1860 Suburbs of Auckland, Aug 1860 Dunedin Country, 1860 Christchurch Country, 1860 Auckland, 1860 Omata, 1860 County of Hawke, 1860 Northern Division, 1860 Grey and Bell, 1860
3rd Parliament	Grey and Bell, 1861 Suburbs of Nelson, 1861 Napier, 1861 Wanganui, 1861 Dunedin, 1862 New Plymouth, 1862 Ellesmere, 1862 Avon, 1862 Heathcote, 1862 Auckland West, 1862 Bruce, 1862 Hampden, 1862
Supplementary elections, 1863	Dunedin and Suburbs North Gold Fields
3rd Parliament (continued)	Dunedin and Suburbs South, 1863 Hampden, 1863 Kaiapoi, 1863 Dunedin and Suburbs North, 1863 New Plymouth, 1863 Heathcote, 1863 Akaroa, 1863 Franklin, 1864 New Plymouth, 1864 Waimea, 1864 Bruce, Apr 1865 Raglan, 1865 Parnell, 1865 New Plymouth, 1865 Bruce, Jul 1865 Gold Fields, 1865 Rangitikei, 1865 Omata, 1865 Wairarapa, 1865
4th Parliament	Mount Herbert, 1866 Port Chalmers, 1866 Dunedin, 1867 City of Christchurch, 1867 Avon, 1867 Manuherikia, 1867 Wanganui, 1867 New Plymouth, 1867 Auckland West, 1867 Raglan, 1867 Parnell, 1867 Port Chalmers, 1867 Waimea, 1867 Lyttelton, 1867 Kaiapoi, 1867 Picton, 1867 Pensioner Settlements, 1867 Ashley, 1867 Omata, 1868 Collingwood, 1868 Westland Boroughs, 1868
Supplementary elections, 1868	Westland North Westland South
First Māori elections	Eastern Maori Northern Maori Southern Maori Western Maori
4th Parliament (continued)	Avon, 1868 Picton, 1868 Rangitikei, 1868 Franklin, 1868 Waikouaiti, 1868 Lyttelton, 1868 Timaru, 1868 Nelson, 1868 Marsden, 1869 Roslyn, 1869 Dunedin, 1869 Newton, 1869 Waikouaiti, 1869 New Plymouth, 1869 Wallace, 1869 Oamaru, 1869 Taieri, 1869 Bruce, 1870 Mongonui, 1870 Caversham, 1870 Omata, 1870 Parnell, 1870 Riverton, 1870 Westland North, 1870 City of Christchurch, 1870
5th Parliament	Auckland West, 1871 Roslyn, 1871 Wairau, 1872 Waikato, 1872 Wakatipu, 1872 Rodney, 1872 Nelson, 1872 Waikouaiti, 1872 Coleridge, 1872 Heathcote, 1872 Caversham, 1872 Egmont 1872 Suburbs of Nelson, 1873 Lyttelton, 1873 Invercargill, 1873 Waikouaiti, 1873 Mongonui and Bay of Islands, 1873 Wakatipu, 1873 Collingwood, 1873 Franklin, 1874 Akaroa, 1874 Dunedin, 1874 Waitemata,1874 Kaiapoi, 1875 Auckland West, 1875 Rangitikei, 1875 Waikouaiti, 1875 Wairau, 1875 Wallace, 1875 Caversham, 1875
6th Parliament	Auckland West, 1876 Wanganui, 1876 Napier, 1877 Wellington, 1877 Totara, 1877 City of Auckland West, 1877 Wairarapa, 1877 Wellington, 1878 Parnell, 1878 Timaru, 1878 Port Chalmers, 1878 Franklin, 1878 Cheviot, 1878 Grey Valley, 1878 Hokitika, 1878 Dunedin, 1878 Taieri, 1878 Invercargill, 1878 Waipa, 1878 Roslyn, 1878 Gladstone, 1879 Mataura, 1879 Nelson, 1879 Auckland West, 1879 Coleridge, 1879 Hutt, 1879 Eastern Maori, 1879 Southern Maori, 1879 Dunedin, 1879
7th Parliament	Rangitikei, 1880 Waitaki, 1880 Waikaia, 1880 Suburbs of Nelson, 1881 Southern Maori, 1881 Nelson, 1881 Grey Valley, 1881
8th Parliament	Franklin North, 1882 Wakanui, 1882 Stanmore, 1882 Peninsula, 1883 Selwyn, 1883 Inangahua, 1883 Bruce, 1883 Selwyn, 1884 Thorndon, 1884 Kaiapoi, 1884 East Coast, 1884
9th Parliament	Oamaru, 1885 Tauranga, 1885 Waimea, 1885 Southern Maori, 1885 Wakanui, 1885 Bruce, 1885 Sydenham, 1886 Dunedin Central, 1886 Waitemata, 1886 Western Maori, 1886 Heathcote, 1887 Port Chalmers, 1887 Te Aro, 1887 Northern Maori, 1887 Avon, 1887
10th Parliament	Ashley, 1888 Lincoln, 1889 Nelson, 1889 Christchurch North, 1889 Oamaru, 1889 Waipa, 1889 East Coast, 1889 Timaru, 1890

• By-elections in New Zealand
• 1889 elections in New Zealand
• Politics of the Canterbury Region
• January 1889 events