1870 Westland North by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 October 2019 1870 Westland North by-election New Zealand 1870 presidential no New Zealand supplementary elections#1868 supplementary election 1868 supplementary 1871 New Zealand general election 1871 general Westland North 1870 07 02 y Thomas Kynnersley Independent politician MP Timothy Gallagher Thomas Kynnersley Independent politician Independent politician The 1870 Westland North by-election was a by-election held on 2 July 1870 during the 4th New Zealand Parliament in the West Coast electorate of Westland North. Timothy Gallagher had resigned and Thomas Kynnersley was returned unopposed. Cause of by-election The by-election was caused by the resignation of the incumbent MP Timothy Gallagher on 13 May 1870Wilson 1985 198 over urgent and private business affairs.The Evening Post https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP18700521.2.6 7 October 2019 The Evening Post VI 82 21 May 1870 2Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700514.2.8 7 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 674 14 May 1870 2 Potential candidates The three provincial councillors from the area were immediately mooted as potential candidates plus a newly-appointed member of the provincial executive. The councillors were Eugene O'Conor of Westport (representing the Buller electorate), George Donne of Charleston (representing the Charleston electorate), and William Franklyn of the Grey (representing the Grey electorate).Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700521.2.6 7 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 677 21 May 1870 2Scholefield 1950 212f The executive member was Thomas Kynnersley, who had previously been goldfields warden on the West Coast and had just been appointed as warden to the Wangapeka.Hutchison Anne 1k18 Kynnersley, Thomas Alfred Sneyd 7 October 2019Scholefield 1950 211 In the Provincial Council, there was conflict between Donne and O'Conor over the latter having received a requisition from the Charleston, the home town of Donne.Notes in the Nelson Provincial Council https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700618.2.15.9 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 689 18 June 1870 5 Another potential candidate, Lowther Broad from Charleston, was mentioned by The Charleston Herald.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700524.2.9 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 662 24 May 1870 2 Franklyn had only just, on 5 May, been elected to the provincial council. When, just days later, Kynnersley returned to New Zealand, Franklyn resigned to make room for Kynnersley's appointment to the provincial executive. When it was found that the resignation was not necessary, Franklyn withdrew it. Over unrelated conduct issues, other members forced the resignation to be accepted.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700517.2.8.2 8 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 675 17 May 1870 2West Coast Times https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WCT18700524.2.8 8 October 2019 West Coast Times 1453 24 May 1870 2 Franklyn received negative publicity over the affairGrey River Argus https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700526.2.6 8 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 679 26 May 1870 2Latest Telegrams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700528.2.7 8 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 680 28 May 1870 2Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700602.2.10 8 October 2019 Westport Times IV 666 2 June 1870 2 and received a hostile reception at the provincial by-election nomination meeting.Nomination for the Grey District https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700531.2.10 8 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 681 31 May 1870 2 Three days prior to the provincial by-election, Franklyn withdrew, stating that he was "heartily sick of politics".Retirement of Mr. Franklyn https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700604.2.11 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 683 4 June 1870 2 Consequently, nothing further was heard from or about him in relation to the parliamentary by-election. On 4 June, the Grey River Argus reported that Kynnersley had resolved to stand in Westland North.Latest Telegrams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700604.2.7 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 683 4 June 1870 2 On 7 June, he advertised his candidacy in The Westport Times.To the electors of Westland North https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700607.2.15.2 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 668 7 June 1870 2 Donne and O'Conor were still discussed as potential candidates at that point.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700607.2.8 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 668 7 June 1870 2 On 18 June, it was reported that O'Conor had received a strong requisition but he did not come forward as a candidate.Election for Westland North https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700618.2.15.14 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 689 18 June 1870 6 Writ and election arrangements The government at the time, led by William Fox, was opposed to the abolition of the provincial government system. There were strong calls from gold fields areas for abolition as it was felt that insufficient money was spent in the areas where much of the taxation was collected. It could therefore be expected that the person to be returned in Westland North would not be a government supporter. In this context, the editor of The Westport Times speculated that the government was deliberately delaying the issuing of a writ for the by-election so that by the time a new candidate had been chosen, the current session of the government would be over and the next general election would be called.https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700616.2.7 The Westport Times 8 October 2019 The Westport Times IV 672 16 June 1870 2 The writ, dated 9 June, was advertised with a date of 22 June by the returning officer. The advertisement appeared in The Westport Times on 28 June.The 23 and 25 June 1870 editions of The Westport Times are missing on Papers Past and it is therefore possible that the advertisement ran earlier than 28 June.23 June 1870 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/westport-times/1870/06/23 National Library: Papers Past 9 October 201925 June 1870 https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/westport-times/1870/06/25 National Library: Papers Past 9 October 2019 The nomination meeting was set for Saturday, 2 July, and the polling day for 9 July. Ten polling places were stipulated as such:https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700628.2.18.2 Election Notice: Electoral District of Westland North 9 October 2019 The Westport Times IV 677 28 June 1870 3 Courthouse in Westport (the principal polling place) Isaac Chapman's Store, Giles Township Old Courthouse in Addison Courthouse in Charleston Courthouse in Brighton Courthouse in Cobden Police Camp in Ahaura Courthouse in Camptown Courthouse in Wangapeka Warden's Office, Matakitaki Election meetings Kynnersley, who had been in Nelson as the provincial council was in session, arrived in Greymouth on 20 June to start a speaking tour of the electorate. On 21 June, he spoke in Cobden at a poorly-attended meeting.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700621.2.7 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 690 21 June 1870 2The Election for Westland North https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA18700623.2.7 9 October 2019 Grey River Argus IX 691 23 June 1870 2 On 27 June, Kynnersley left Greymouth on the Murray for Westport, where he arrived the following day after having encountered terrible weather and sea.Shipping intelligence https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700630.2.3 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 678 30 June 1870 2 On 29 June, he spoke to some 200 electors in Charleston.Charleston: Mr Kynnersley's meeting https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700702.2.12 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 679 2 July 1870 2 On 1 July, he spoke in Westport at a well-attended meeting.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700702.2.10 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 679 2 July 1870 2Mr Kynnersley at Westport https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700705.2.5 9 October 2019 Westport Times IV 680 5 July 1870 2 Nomination meeting The nomination meeting for the by-election was held at 12 noon on 2 July 1870 at the Westport Courthouse. Dr Joseph Giles (1832–1930) was the returning officer. As Kynnersley was the only person proposed for election, the Dr Giles declared him elected unopposed.Wilson 1985 211Nomination and election https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18700705.2.6 9 October 2019 The Westport Times IV 680 5 July 1870 3 Subsequent matters Kynnersley made his way to Wellington and took his seat at parliament on 12 July.Latest Telegrams https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18700713.2.11 9 October 2019 The Press XVII 2253 13 July 1870 2 The session was prorogued on 13 September 1870, which ended the 4th New Zealand Parliament.Wilson 1985 139 Prior to the 1871 general election, Kynnersley announced that he would not make himself available for re-election.Mr. Kynnersley's Meeting https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WEST18710105.2.5 9 October 2019 Westport Times V 759 5 January 1871 2 Footnotes References Citations Guy Scholefield Scholefield Guy New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 3rd First published in 1913 1950 Govt. Printer Wellington Wilson Jim Jim Wilson (librarian) New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Westland North 1870 Category:1870 elections in New Zealand Category:Politics of the West Coast Region