1912 New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election

none April 2024 November 2019 1912 New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election New Zealand legislative no 1906 New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election 1906 1913 New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election 1913 22 March 1912 Caucus 100px Thomas Mackenzie FFDF00 Egmont 22 70.9% 100px George Laurenson FFDF00 Lyttelton 9 29.1% Leader Leader after election Joseph Ward Thomas Mackenzie The New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election 1912 was held on 22 March to choose the next leader of the New Zealand Liberal Party. The election was won by Thomas Mackenzie, who succeeded Joseph Ward. Background In February 1912 the Liberal Government led by Joseph Ward was saved from defeat in a confidence only by the casting vote of the speaker. Ward made good on an earlier promise and resigned the premiership.Foster 1966 Candidates Thomas Mackenzie Mackenzie was seen by many as a strong contender for the leadership by many observers of the jockeying for position following Ward's resignation.Brooking Tom 3m18 Mackenzie, Thomas Noble 1853–1930 15 December 2015 However, many also saw Mackenzie as too new a recruit to the party to lead it.Bassett 1993 209 George Laurenson Laurenson had been an MP since 1899 and represented the urban and more left-leaning Liberals. He was the member from Lyttelton. His candidacy took many by surprise, as talk of him as leader had been dismissed as mere gossip by the press.Bassett 1993 209 Others Many expected John Millar to seek the leadship, thinking him assured the votes of members from urban electorates. However, realising that he did not have backing from the labour sympathisers in caucus (who supported Laurenson) he declined to run. Many others thought he lacked the charisma needed to reverse the party's fortunes. The only other name mentioned in the press as a possible successor to Ward was that of Josiah Hanan, MP for Invercargill.Bassett 1993 209 Result After a 10-hour caucus meeting on 22 March, presided over by Ward, Mackenzie won a simple ballot by the caucus 22 votes to 9.Bassett 1993 209 NameVotesPercentageThomas Mackenzie2270.9%George Laurenson929.1% Aftermath After the vote, Laurenson became deputy and the two quickly put together a new cabinet.Bassett 1993 209 Mackenzie was to serve as Prime Minister from 28 March to 10 July 1912 when he resigned, after his party was defeated when it met the reassembled Parliament, giving way to the first Government of William Massey ending the Liberal's 22 year government.Foster 1966 Notes References http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/political-parties/page-9 An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand Foster John Liberal Party Ministry for Culture and Heritage / Te Manatū Taonga A. H. McLintock Alexander Hare McLintock 15 December 2015 1966 Bassett Michael Michael Bassett Sir Joseph Ward: A Political Biography Auckland University Press Auckland 1993 Liberal Party leadership 1912 New Zealand Liberal Party leadership election Category:March 1912 in Oceania