1907 Taranaki by-election explained

Election Name:1907 Taranaki by-election
Country:New Zealand
Flag Year:1907
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1905 New Zealand general election
Previous Year:1905 general
Next Election:1908 New Zealand general election
Next Year:1908 general
Election Date:14 May 1907
Turnout:74.96%
Candidate1:Henry Okey
Party1:Conservative (New Zealand)
Popular Vote1:1,991
Percentage1:43.02
Candidate2:Edward Dockrill
Party2:New Zealand Liberal Party
Popular Vote2:1,627
Percentage2:35.16
Candidate3:William Malone
Party3:Independent Liberal
Popular Vote3:1,010
Percentage3:21.82
Member
Before Election:Edward Smith
Before Party:New Zealand Liberal Party
After Election:Henry Okey
After Party:Conservative (New Zealand)

The Taranaki by-election of 1907 was a by-election for the electorate of Taranaki held on 14 May 1907 during the 16th New Zealand Parliament.

Background

The contest was triggered due to the death of incumbent MP Edward Smith. Three candidates stood; Henry Okey was the Conservative candidate, Edward Dockrill was the Liberal government endorsed candidate and William Malone an Independent Liberal[1] Okey was the victor, resulting in the defeat of the Liberal Government's preferred candidate because of William Malone, a popular local "Independent Liberal" candidate splitting the government support vote. Because of the vote-splitting, the defeat of the Government candidate did not necessarily mean support for Opposition objection to the Land Bill then before Parliament.

Results

The following table gives the election results:

Okey held the seat until his own death in 1918 which triggered the which was won by Edward Smith's son Sydney. Okey was later to join the Reform Party upon its formation in February 1909. Malone was later notable during World War I, when he was killed in action leading his troops during the Gallipoli Campaign.

References

Notes and References

  1. News: The Taranaki Seat. Feilding Star . I . 265 . 14 May 1907 . 3 . 12 September 2016 .