1860 Dunedin Country by-election

New Zealand by-election April 2024 April 2022 The Dunedin Country by-election 1860 was a by-election held in the multi-member Dunedin Country electorate during the 2nd New Zealand Parliament. The by-election was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP William Cargill. The nomination meeting was held on 28 March and as Thomas Gillies was the only person proposed, he was declared elected unopposed. Background The Dunedin Country electorate was one of the original 24 parliamentary electorates of New Zealand from 1853, and it was one of the two-member electorates.McRobie 1989 29f From the 1855, the electorate was represented by William and John Cargill, a father and son team.Wilson 1985 188 Cargill Jr. was one of many members of the House of Representatives who resigned prior to the second session of the 2nd New Zealand Parliament; the house had not been convened in 1857.Wilson 1985 139 In the resulting 1858 Dunedin Country by-election, he was replaced by John Parkin Taylor. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=LT18580630.2.9 Lyttelton Times 4 IX 590 30 June 1858 3 May 2013 Otago Cargill Sr. rarely spoke in the house and found travel to parliament in Auckland difficult. Regarded as the father of Otago, he had also been the first Superintendent of Otago Province. McLintock Alexander Hare William Cargill http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/1966/cargill-william/1 Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand 26 June 2010 In July 1859, he announced "that it has been his feeling for some time past, under a sense of advancing years, to retire from the Superintendency".The Otago Witness http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18590723.2.7 10 November 2015 399 23 July 1859 2 He did retire at the next provincial election in November 1859.Scholefield 1950 215 Cargill senior resigned from the House of Representatives on 12 December 1859.The Otago Witness http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18591217.2.8 10 November 2015 420 17 December 1859 5 Results The returning officer, John Gillies, set the date of the nomination meeting for 28 March 1860, and if an election would become necessary, this was to be held on 11 April.Election Notice http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18600303.2.29.6 10 November 2015 Otago Witness 431 3 March 1860 7 John Richard Jones proposed and Charles Kettle seconded Thomas Gillies, the son of the returning officer. As this was the only person proposed, Gillies Jr. was declared elected unopposed.Dunedin Country District http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=OW18600331.2.17.1 10 November 2015 Otago Witness 435 31 March 1860 5 Gillies represented the Dunedin Country electorate until the end of the term;Wilson 1985 188 parliament was dissolved on 5 November 1860 and the Dunedin Country electorate was abolished.Wilson 1985 137 Gillies was instead elected as a representative of the Bruce electorate in 1861.Wilson 1985 188 William Cargill died on 6 August 1860, less than a year after his resignation from parliament. Notes References Electoral Atlas of New Zealand McRobie Alan 1989 GP Books Wellington 0-477-01384-8 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 Dunedin Country 1860 Category:1860 elections in New Zealand Category:1860s in Dunedin Category:Politics of Dunedin Category:March 1860 in Oceania