1885 Bruce by-election explained

The 1885 Bruce by-election was a by-election held on 5 August 1885 in the electorate during the 9th New Zealand Parliament.

The by-election was held after the resignation of Robert Gillies for health reasons. He had won the seat at the general .

He was replaced by Donald Reid.

The runner-up James McDonald had represented Bruce up to the . A former representative of the Bruce electorate, William Murray, was invited to contest the by-election but he declined.[1]

J. C. Anderson was born in Bruce and had farmed there for thirteen years.[2]

William Hutchison wrote that he had "many pleasant memories" of the electorate[3] but another correspondent said it was a "very palpable defeat" and denied that the Kaitangata miners were told how to vote.[4]

Results

The following table gives the election result:

Notes and References

  1. News: The Oamaru Mail . 30 April 2020 . X . 3007 . 3 August 1885 . 2. Papers Past.
  2. News: Bruce Election . Clutha Leader . 31 July 1885. Papers Past.
  3. Web site: Random Notes . Clutha Leader . 14 August 1885 . Papers Past.
  4. Web site: Random Notes . Clutha Leader . 21 August 1885 . Papers Past.