Suburbs of Auckland (New Zealand electorate)

For the electorate which existed in the 20th century, see Auckland Suburbs (New Zealand electorate).

Suburbs of Auckland was a parliamentary electorate in Auckland, New Zealand from 1853 to 1860.

Population centres

Suburbs of Auckland covered the area close and adjacent to the city of Auckland. Those suburbs were east, south and west of the city and covered Parnell, Newmarket, Grey Lynn, and Ponsonby. To the east, the Suburbs of Auckland electorate bordered the Southern Division electorate. To the south and west, the boundary was with the Northern Division electorate. In the north, the Suburbs of Auckland electorate wrapped itself around the City of Auckland electorate or it bordered onto the Waitemata Harbour.^[1] For the 1853 general election, there were 163 electors on the roll. This had increased to 325 electors for the 1855 general election.^[2]

History

The electorate was represented by six members of parliament.^[3] The 1853 nomination meetings for the City of Auckland, Suburbs of Auckland, and Northern Division electorates were all held at the Market Place in Shortland Street in Auckland city.^[4] At the nomination meeting on 10 August 1853, Frederick Merriman and William Field Porter were proposed. As two positions had to be filled, they were declared elected unopposed.^[5]

The 1855 nomination meetings for the City of Auckland, Suburbs of Auckland, and Northern Division electorates were all held opposite the court house, one after the other, on 16 October. There were four candidates for the two positions, and a poll was held on 27 October.^[6] Merriman, the only incumbent to stand, topped the poll, and the other successful candidate was Walter Brodie.^[7]

Brodie resigned on 6 December 1859.^[8] Hargreaves was elected on 5 April 1860, and resigned on 24 July 1860.^[9] He was replaced by Campbell, who was returned unopposed on 4 August 1860.^[10] Merriman resigned on 13 March 1860.^[11]

Members

The electorate existed for the 1st and 2nd Parliament as a two-member electorate.

Election	Winners
1853 election		Frederick Merriman		William Field Porter
1855 election				Walter Brodie
January 1860 by-election				Theophilus Heale^[12]
April 1860 by-election		Joseph Hargreaves^[13]
August 1860 by-election		John Logan Campbell

Election results

1855 election

1855 general election: Suburbs of Auckland^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Frederick Merriman	124	54.75
	Independent	Walter Brodie	118	52.10
	Independent	William Turner^[14]	112	49.45
	Independent	Dr Daniel Pollen^[15]	99	43.71
Majority			6	2.65
Turnout			227^[note 1]	69.69
Registered electors			325

Footnotes

1. Each elector had two votes. Turnout is assumed to be the number of votes cast divided by two. This is an approximation as some electors would have cast one vote only.

Notes

1. McRobie 1989, p. 28.
2. McRobie 1989, p. 29.
3. Wilson 1985, p. 259.
4. "Advertisements". New Zealander. Vol. 9, no. 753. 2 July 1853. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
5. "Elections for the House of Representatives". New Zealander. Vol. 9, no. 765. 13 August 1853. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
6. "The New Zealander". New Zealander. Vol. 11, no. 992. 17 October 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
7. "The Southern Cross". Daily Southern Cross. Vol. XII, no. 870. 30 October 1855. p. 2. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
8. Wilson 1985, p. 185.
9. Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer. p. 112.
10. "Election for the Suburbs". Daily Southern Cross. Vol. XVII, no. 1319. 7 August 1860. p. 2. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
11. Wilson 1985, p. 219.
12. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1902). "Mr. Theophilus Heale". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Auckland Provincial District. Christchurch. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
13. Cyclopedia Company Limited (1902). "Mr. Joseph Hargreaves". The Cyclopedia of New Zealand : Auckland Provincial District. Christchurch. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
14. "To the electors of the Suburbs of Auckland". New Zealander. Vol. 11, no. 988. 3 October 1855. p. 4. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
15. "To the electors of the Suburbs of Auckland". New Zealander. Vol. 11, no. 991. 13 October 1855. p. 6. Retrieved 10 April 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.