1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 July 2019 1897 Wellington Suburbs by-election New Zealand 1897 presidential no 1896 New Zealand general election 1896 general 1899 New Zealand general election 1899 general Suburbs of Wellington 23 April 1897 3,933 100x120px Charles Wilson New Zealand Liberal Party 2,036 51.76 100x120px Arthur Atkinson Conservative (New Zealand) 1,897 48.23 Member Thomas Wilford Charles Wilson New Zealand Liberal Party New Zealand Liberal Party The Wellington Suburbs by-election of 1897 was a by-election held on 23 April 1897 during the 13th New Zealand Parliament in the urban lower North Island electorate of Wellington Suburbs. Background Thomas Wilford won the Wellington Suburbs seat in the 1896 election for the Liberal Party. However, he was subsequently declared guilty of corrupt electoral practices after an electoral petition was lodged after it was revealed he exceeded the £200 campaign spending limit which had been introduced for the election. As a result, the election was declared void.Wilson 1985 245 The subsequent by-election for Wilford's seat was a two-way contest. Academic Charles Wilson contested the seat in the interests of the Liberal Government and Arthur Atkinson stood on behalf of the opposition. Wilson was successful in retaining the electorate for the Liberals, with a slightly reduced majority. Results The following table gives the election results: Wilson retired in 1899 when the next general election was held, and Wilford won the seat back on behalf of the Liberal Party.Wilson 1985 245f Two years later, Wilson was appointed as the first chief librarian of the Parliamentary library. Some saw this as controversial and merely a reward by the Liberal Government for his prior services to the Liberal Party.Charles Wilson https://nzhistory.govt.nz/people/charles-wilson Ministry for Culture and Heritage 6 April 2016 20 December 2012 Notes References Wilson James Oakley New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Wellington Suburbs 1897 Category:1897 elections in New Zealand Category:1890s in Wellington Category:Politics of the Wellington Region