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The 1901 Patea by-elections were two by-elections in the New Zealand electorate of Patea, a rural seat in Taranaki.

In 1901 George Hutchison the member for Patea was deemed to have resigned when the second session of the 14th Parliament opened on 1 July, although he had apparently been absent for some months in South Africa. He was opposed to the Liberal Government. A by-election was called, but a second by-election was required when the result of the first by-election was disallowed on a petition.

In the by-election held on 18 July the Liberal candidate John Heslop was initially leading but Frederick Haselden won. A second Liberal candidate, Arthur Remington (who had lost to Hutchison twice, in 1896 and 1899) stood and split the Liberal vote. From newspaper reports Haselden had won by only one vote; although earlier reports gave Hislop a 6, 10 or 15 vote winning margin, with Haseldene getting 953 or 958 votes and Heslop 968 votes. And the election day was rainy.

The official Liberal candidate John Heslop was a farmer from near Hawera. He was on County Councils since 1876, and was Chairman of the Hawera County Council and the Licensing Bench, and on school committees.

Result of first by-election

A petition to disallow the election was heard by the Supreme Court from 7 to 10 October. The petitioner William Henry Parker a labourer of Patea did not appear in court, and was thought to have government backing. The court required another by-election as one John Williamson who appeared in the electoral roll as John Williams was not allowed to vote; a technical informality to some. Other grounds put forward were that two votes for Heslop were disallowed, and that two polling booths were not open as required.

The second by-election vote on 6 November between two candidates returned Haselden by a substantial majority, and with a higher turnout.

Result of second by-election

References

1. "Patea By-election". Taranaki Herald in Papers Past. 20 July 1901.
2. "Election Result". Feilding Star in Papers Past (New Zealand). 24 July 1901.
3. "Election Result". Wanganui Herald in Papers Past (New Zealand). 24 July 1901.
4. "Election Result". Wanganui Herald in Papers Past. 20 July 1901.
5. "John Heslop". Wanganui Herald in Papers Past. 9 July 1901.
6. "The Patea Election". Timaru Herald. 9 July 1901 – via Papers Past.
7. "The Patea Election". Taranaki Herald. 7 November 1901 – via Papers Past.
8. "The Patea Election". Taranaki Daily News. 8 November 1901 – via Papers Past.
9. "Electoral Petition". Star in Papers Past. 10 October 1901.
10. "Electoral Petition". Colonist in Papers Past. 10 October 1901.
11. "The Patea Election". Waikato Argus. 9 November 1901 – via Papers Past.
12. "The Patea Election". The New Zealand Herald. 9 November 1901 – via Papers Past.

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12th Parliament	Waitemata, 1894 Tuapeka, 1894 City of Auckland, 1895 City of Christchurch, 1896
13th Parliament	Wellington Suburbs, 1897 Awarua, 1897 City of Dunedin, 1897 City of Wellington, 1898 Mataura, 1898 Tuapeka, 1898 City of Wellington, 1899
14th Parliament	Otaki, 1900 City of Auckland, 1900 Waihemo, 1900 Northern Maori, 1901 City of Christchurch, 1901 Patea, Jul 1901 Patea, Nov 1901 Caversham, 1901
15th Parliament	Pahiatua, 1904 City of Wellington, 1905
16th Parliament	Westland, 1906 Manukau, 1906 Taranaki, 1907 Tuapeka, 1908
17th Parliament	Thames, 1909 Northern Maori, 1909 Rangitikei, 1909 Auckland East, 1910 Christchurch North, 1911

• By-elections in New Zealand
• 1901 elections in New Zealand
• Politics of Taranaki
• South Taranaki District