| Election Name: | 1906 Surry Hills state by-election |
| Type: | parliamentary |
| Country: | Australia |
| Seats For Election: | Electoral district of Surry Hills in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1904 New South Wales state election |
| Previous Year: | 1904 |
| Next Election: | 1907 New South Wales state election |
| Next Year: | 1907 |
| Election Date: | 21 July 1906 |
| Candidate1: | Albert Bruntnell |
| Image1: | LRP |
| Party1: | Liberal Reform Party (Australia) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,109 |
| Percentage1: | 30.5% |
| Swing1: | 3.8% |
| Candidate2: | Dick Meagher |
| Party2: | Independent (politician) |
| Popular Vote2: | 961 |
| Percentage2: | 26.4% |
| Candidate4: | Henry Lawton |
| Image4: | ALP |
| Party4: | Labour |
| Popular Vote4: | 888 |
| Percentage4: | 24.4% |
| Candidate5: | John Norton |
| Party5: | Independent (politician) |
| Popular Vote5: | 697 |
| Percentage5: | 18.7% |
| Swing5: | 27.1% |
| MLA | |
| Before Election: | John Norton (journalist) |
| Before Party: | Independent (politician) |
| After Election: | Albert Bruntnell |
| After Party: | Liberal Reform Party (Australia) |
| Turnout: | 36.2% (20.8%) |
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Surry Hills on 21 July 1906 because of the resignation of John Norton . Norton blamed William Holman for an article in The Worker commenting on Norton's unnatural silence over the land scandals involving Paddy Crick and William Willis.[1] Norton made a personal attack on Holman in parliament, challenging him to resign and both would contest Holman's seat of Cootamundra.
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 5 July 1906 | John Norton resigned.[2] | |
| 6 July 1906 | Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.[3] | |
| 14 July 1906 | Nominations | |
| 21 July 1906 | Polling day | |
| 31 July 1906 | Return of writ |
The Cootamundra by-election was held the following week, however Norton withdrew from the contest. H. V. Evatt argues that the most likely explanation for Norton's attack was to remove Labour's best debater at a critical time.[4] Norton returned to parliament at the 1907 election for Darling Harbour.[5]