Lincoln (New Zealand electorate)

Lincoln was a parliamentary electorate in the Canterbury region of New Zealand from 1881 to 1890. It was represented by two Members of Parliament.

Population centres

The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1875 for the 1875–1876 election. In the six years since, New Zealand's European population had increased by 65%. In the 1881 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of European representatives to 91 (up from 84 since the 1875–76 election). The number of Māori electorates was held at four. The House further decided that electorates should not have more than one representative, which led to 35 new electorates being formed, including Lincoln, and two electorates that had previously been abolished to be recreated. This necessitated a major disruption to existing boundaries.[1]

For the 1881 and 1884 elections, there were polling booths in Springston, Prebbleton, Spreydon and Lincoln.[2][3] The nomination meeting for the 1887 election was held in Kirwee.[4] The 1889 by-election had polling booths in Lincoln, Springston, Yaldhurst, West Melton, Cass, Prebbleton, Springfield, Sheffield, Halkett, Kirwee and Darfield.[5]

History

The electorate was formed for the 1881 election.[6]

Arthur O'Callaghan[7] and Henry William Peryman contested the Lincoln electorate in the 1881 election. O'Callaghan, who supported the opposition, beat Peryman by 277 to 154.[2][8]

Alfred Saunders[9] challenged O'Callaghan in the 1884 election. The incumbent narrowly won the election with 266 to 263 votes.[10]

At the nomination meeting for the 1887 election, O'Callaghan, Saunders and John Davis Enys were proposed. Saunders strongly criticised O'Callaghan, who as a government supporter had his share of responsibility of the recession, according to Saunders' claim. Saunders won the show of hands at that meeting, with Enys coming second.[4] Again, O'Callaghan held a narrow majority over Saunders, with 654 over 643 votes. Enys received 127 votes.[11]

O'Callaghan was taken to the Christchurch Magistrate's Court over unpaid wages towards the end of 1888.[12] He became insolvent[13] and resigned from Parliament on 9 November 1888.[14] John Ollivier, best known for his activities on the Canterbury Provincial Council and last represented in Parliament in 1860, announced his candidacy on the day of O'Callaghan's resignation.[15] At the nomination meeting on 9 January 1889, Ollivier and Saunders were put forward, with the latter winning the show of hands.[16][17] The 1889 by-election was held on 16 January[18] and was won by Saunders with 676 votes to 332.[5]

The electorate was abolished at the end of the 10th Parliament in 1890.[6]

Election results

The electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament:[6]

Key

  Independent  

Election Winner
1881 election Arthur O'Callaghan
1884 election
1887 election
1889 by-election Alfred Saunders

Election results

1889 by-election
1889 Lincoln by-election[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Alfred Saunders 676 67.06
Independent John Ollivier 332 32.94
Turnout 1008
Majority 344 34.13

1881 election
1881 general election: Lincoln[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Arthur O'Callaghan 277 64.87
Independent Henry William Peryman[20] 150 35.13
Majority 127 29.74
Turnout 427 54.60
Registered electors 782

Notes
  1. McRobie 1989, pp. 43–48.
  2. "The Elections". The Press. XXXVI (5073). 10 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  3. "Election Notices". The Press. XL (5885). 24 July 1884. p. 3. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  4. "Lincoln". The Press. XLIV (6861). 20 September 1887. p. 6. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  5. "Lincoln Election". The Press. XLVI (7258). 18 January 1889. p. 5. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  6. Wilson 1985, p. 266.
  7. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1903). "Land Tax And Advances To Settlers' Department". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch. Retrieved 23 May 2010.
  8. "Prebbleton". The Press. XXXVI (5074). 12 December 1881. p. 2. Retrieved 26 April 2012.
  9. "Mr. Alfred Saunders". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Canterbury Provincial District. Christchurch: The Cyclopedia Company Limited. 1903. Retrieved 14 April 2010.
  10. "The General Election, 1884". National Library. 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 17 March 2012.
  11. "The General Election, 1887". National Library. 1887. p. 3. Retrieved 25 February 2012.
  12. "MHR Sued For Debt". Wanganui Chronicle. XXXI (11353). 8 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  13. "By the Way". Mataura Ensign. 11 (825). 16 November 1888. p. 6. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  14. Wilson 1985, p. 224.
  15. "Resignation of an M.H.R." The Evening Post. XXXVI (113). 10 November 1888. p. 2. Retrieved 27 April 2012.
  16. "Lincoln Election". The Star (6441). 10 January 1889. p. 4. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  17. "The Lincoln Seat". The Press. XLVI (7251). 10 January 1889. p. 6. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
  18. Wilson 1985, p. 233.
  19. Cooper, G. S. (1882). Votes Recorded for Each Candidate. Government Printer. p. 3. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
  20. Macdonald, George. "Macdonald Dictionary Record: Henry William Peryman". Macdonald Dictionary. Canterbury Museum. Retrieved 26 November 2019.

References
  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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