1865 Gold Fields by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 April 2022 A by-election was held in the Gold Fields electorate on 29 May 1865. The by-election was won by Charles Edward Haughton, who defeated two other candidates. Background The Gold Fields electorate was a two-member constituency, and William Baldwin and George Brodie were the initial representatives starting with the 1863 supplementary election.Wilson 1985 181, 185, 263 Baldwin resigned, and this triggered the by-election. His resignation took effect on 27 April 1865, but it was known about well before that date.Wilson 1985 181 Henry Wirgman Robinson was appointed as returning officer, and he set the date for the nomination meeting for Monday, 22 May, with an election to be held if required the following Monday.Election Notice https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18650513.2.8.2 8 January 2017 Lake Wakatip Mai l 213 13 May 1865 3 Robinson also defined the polling places: thirteen courthouses throughout Otago, and six campsites. Run up to the election Charles Edward Haughton of Arrowtown was the first person to declare his candidacy; he was first mentioned in the newspapers on 12 April.Monthly Summary of Current Events: Political https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18650513.2.8.2 8 January 2017 Lake Wakatip Mai l 213 13 May 1865 3Resident Magistrate's Court https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650505.2.14?query=Haughton%20gold%20fields 8 January 2017 Otago Daily Times 1053 5 May 1865 5 The local Queenstown newspaper, the Lake Wakatip Mail, came out in strong opposition to Haughton and thought him unqualified to represent the electorate.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18650503.2.4?query=Haughton 8 January 2017 Lake Wakatip Mail 210 3 May 1865 2 Other candidates were Messrs Manders of Queenstown, James Benn Bradshaw, Duncan Campbell, and Jackson.Untitled https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18650524.2.7?query=Haughton 8 January 2017 Lake Wakatip Mail 216 24 May 1865 2 Nomination meeting The nomination meeting was held at the courthouse in Lawrence, the centre of the Tuapeka district.Election for the Gold Fields https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT18650525.2.19?query=Haughton 8 January 2017 Otago Daily Times 1070 25 May 1865 5 Manders and Jackson were delayed and could not get to the meeting in time, and their nominations were not allowed.The Lake Wakatip Mail https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LWM18650527.2.4?query=Haughton 8 January 2017 Lake Wakatip Mail 217 27 May 1865 2 Campbell won the show of hands at the nomination meeting by a large margin, and a poll was demanded on behalf of Haughton. Election Haughton received 227 votes out of a total of 506; his majority was 78 votes. Bradshaw came second with 149 votes. Campbell received 130 votes. Bradshaw put a protest to the returning officer regarding the deputy returning officer at Nevis not having received the official instructions until after the close of the poll. The returning officer declared that his deputy at Nevis had been sworn in as required, and that the instructions had not arrived in time was immaterial as no elector had come to the polling station during the day. The table below shows the results for the individual polling stations. + Sortable and collapsible table Polling station Haughton Bradshaw Campbell Alexandra32180 Arrow6200 Blackstone Hill0110 Cardrona2300 Clyde0160 Cromwell960 Dunstan Creek249 Hamilton078 Hindon218 Hyde0021 Lawrence40364 Maori Point16195 Mount Benger0182 Mount Ida001 Nevis000 Nokomai090 Queenstown17322 Waipori1811 Waitahuna649 total 227 149 130 Haughton represented the Gold Fields electorate until the end of the term in 1866, and was then successful in the 1866 in the Hampden electorate.Wilson 1985 203 Bradshaw stood in the 1866 election in the Gold Field Towns electorate and was also returned.Wilson 1985 185 References Citations Wilson Jim Jim Wilson (librarian) New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 4th First published in 1913 1985 V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer Wellington 154283103 Gold Fields 1865 Category:1865 elections in New Zealand Category:Otago gold rush Category:May 1865 in Oceania Category:Politics of Otago