The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 67
The North Island Returns
The North Island Returns.
In the North all the seats except one—Auckland City Central, for which Sir G. Grey was elected unopposed—were contested. For the 38 seats 98 candidates went to the poll, for whom 51,515 votes were recorded. The 38 elected men obtained 27,400 votes, and their opponents 24,115 page 16 —a majority of 3,285. From this it will be seen that 24,115 voters who voted in the North Island have obtained no representatives at all.
Seats. | Successful Polled Votes. | Defeated. | Majority. | Minority. | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Auckland | 19 | 13,038 | 12,045 | 993 | |
Taranaki | 3 | 1,762 | 1,700 | 62 | |
Hawke's Bay | 4 | 3,593 | 3,609 | 16 | |
Wellington | 12 | 9,007 | 6,761 | 2,246 | |
North Island | 38 | 27,400 | 24,115 | 3,285 | Actual Majority. |
The highest vote cast to elect a candidate in the North Island was in the case of Mr. Ormond, at Napier, who obtained 1,008 votes. The lowest was in the case of Mr. Marchant, at New Plymouth, who was elected, though receiving but 383 votes.
There were 32 candidates rejected who received more votes than the lowest elected—one as high as 950 votes, Mr. Ivess, at Napier—the others received votes ranging from this number down to 425. Twelve elected members received a minority of votes polled in their electorates, the names and minorities being:—Goldie 15, Withy 75, Peacock 177, Hamlin 243, Fraser 29, Moat 69, Graham 142, Kelly 76, Marchant 287, Smith 287, Tanner 189, and Beetham 39. This, of course, was a result of there being several candidates for each seat. The average vote received by the elected candidates in the North Island was 721, while the average vote cast in each electoral district in the Island was 1,355, thus showing that in each of the 38 districts there were 634 electors who failed to cast a vote in favour of a winning candidate.