1875 Wellington mayoral election

New Zealand local election November 2016 November 2016 1875 Wellington mayoral election New Zealand Presidential no 1874 Wellington mayoral election 1874 1876 Wellington mayoral election 1876 15 December 1875 1,244 125x150px William Hutchison Independent politician 658 52.89 125x150px William Gisborne Independent politician 586 47.11 Mayor William Sefton Moorhouse William Hutchison The 1875 Wellington mayoral election was the second election for the Mayor of Wellington held by public vote. The election was won by William Hutchison, who beat William Gisborne. Background Initially, councillors elected one of their own as mayor towards the end of the year, and the role was usually awarded to the most senior councillor. The system changed with the introduction of The Municipal Corporations Acts Amendment Act, 1875, as that legislation stipulated that mayors had to be elected at large (i.e. by eligible voters).Municipal Corporations Acts Amendment Act 1875 http://www.enzs.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=2168 University of Auckland 20 April 2013 21 October 1875 24 September 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150924001305/http://www.enzs.auckland.ac.nz/document?wid=2168 dead The incumbent mayor, William Sefton Moorhouse, did not stand again, and a farewell dinner was given for him on 1 December.Dinner to the Mayor http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18751201.2.11 31 March 2016 The Evening Post XII 131 1 December 1875 2 William Gisborne was a strong candidate for the role, but he fell out with the public over him favouring denominational education. In addition, he then announced himself as a candidate for the 1875 general election in the City of Wellington electorate, and that triggered a concerted effort to find a suitable opponent. A 'less than optimal' candidate was eventually secured in William Hutchison, who had been in Wellington for less than two years, and whose newspaper, the Tribune, had failed during that time.Wellington http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18751230.2.18 31 March 2016 The Star 2425 30 December 1875 3 One of the local newspapers, The Evening Post, was a very strong supporter of Gisborne, and lost no opportunity to outline the failings of Hutchison to the public.Evening Post http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18751209.2.8 31 March 2016 The Evening Post XII 138 9 December 1875 2 Election results The following table gives the election results: 1875 Wellington mayoral electionhttp://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18751215.2.13 The Evening Post 2 The Mayoralty Election 15 December 1875 31 March 2016 XII 143 Independent politician William Hutchison 658 52.89 Independent politician William Gisborne 586 47.11 72 5.79 1,244 The election was held on 15 December.City Council http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18751210.2.17.1 31 March 2016 The Evening Post XII 139 10 December 1875 3 Hutchison beat Gisborne, and The Evening Post commented that this came as no surprise as Gisborne's stance on education had been misrepresented and twisted without scruple.Evening Post http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=EP18751216.2.6 31 March 2016 The Evening Post XII 144 16 December 1875 2 The defeat caused Gisborne to withdraw from the general election. In December 1876, Hutchison was re-elected unopposed for a second term as mayor.Election for Mayoralty http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=AS18761211.2.18 31 March 2016 Auckland Star VII 2134 11 December 1876 3 References autocollapse Category:Mayoral elections in Wellington Category:1875 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the Wellington Region Category:1870s in Wellington