11th Parliament of New Zealand
←10th Parliament 12th Parliament→
Overview
Legislative bodyNew Zealand Parliament
Term23 January 1891 – 6 October 1893
Election1890 New Zealand general election
GovernmentLiberal Government
House of Representatives
Members74
Speaker of the HouseWilliam Steward
PremierRichard Seddon
— John Ballance until 27 April 1893†
Leader of the OppositionWilliam Rolleston
— John Bryce until 31 August 1891
Legislative Council
Members46
Speaker of the CouncilHenry Miller
— Harry Atkinson until 28 June 1892†
Sovereign
MonarchHM Victoria
GovernorHE Rt. Hon. The Earl of Glasgow from 6 June 1892
— HE Rt. Hon. The Earl of Onslow until 25 February 1892

The 11th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand.

Elections for this term were held in 4 Māori electorates and 62 European electorates on 27 November and 5 December 1890, respectively. A total of 74 MPs were elected – a reduction on the 95 MPs of the previous Parliament.

Sessions

The 11th Parliament opened on 23 January 1891, following the 1890 general election. It sat for four sessions (with two sessions in 1891), and was prorogued on 8 November 1893.[1][2]

SessionOpenedAdjourned
first23 January 189130 January 1891
second11 June 189125 September 1891
third23 June 189211 October 1892
fourth22 June 18936 October 1893

Party standings

Start of Parliament

Party Leader(s) Seats at start
Liberal PartyJohn Ballance34
ConservativeJohn Bryce25
Independents9
Liberal-Labour5
Independent Liberal2

End of Parliament

Party Leader(s) Seats at end
Liberal PartyRichard Seddon34
ConservativeWilliam Rolleston24
Independents9
Liberal-Labour6
Independent Liberal2

Historical context

In December 1887, the House of Representatives voted to reduce its membership from general electorates from 91 to 70. The 1890 electoral redistribution used the same 1886 census data used for the 1887 electoral redistribution. In addition, three-member electorates were introduced in the four main centres.[3] This resulted in a major restructuring of electorates, with 12 new electorates created. Of those, four electorates were created for the first time: Te Aroha, Halswell, Dunedin Suburbs, and Palmerston. The remaining eight electorates had previously existed and were re-created through the 1890 electoral redistribution: City of Auckland, City of Christchurch, City of Dunedin, City of Wellington, Ellesmere, Franklin, Geraldine, and Westland.

The 11th Parliament was most significant,[4] as following the 1890 general election, it marked the beginning of party politics in New Zealand with the formation of the Liberal Government, which was to enact major welfare, labour and electoral reforms, including giving the vote to women.

Ministries

The fourth Atkinson Ministry, known as the Scarecrow Ministry, had been the government. The election had returned several "Independent" or "Labour" members as well as the Liberals. Some of Atkinson's conservative colleagues proposed schemes that would keep him in office, but Atkinson, who had been Premier on and off for 14 years, announced that the house would be called on 23 January 1891 to decide. On 21 January Atkinson told his colleagues that he was retiring on doctor's orders, resigned his seat and was sworn into the Legislative Council, and appointed Speaker. When William Rolleston lost the ministerial nomination for Speaker, Edwin Mitchelson announced the resignation of the government. The Governor asked John Ballance to form a government, which he did on 24 January. It was found to have a majority in the house. After a week of debate, the house went into recess until June.[5]

Atkinson was appointed to the Council with six colleagues, on 20 or 22 January 1891. He was widely regarded as having stacked the council before leaving office. There was a 5000-signature petition against the appointments, but they were approved by the Governor, The Earl of Onslow. [6] The seven appointments on 20 or 22 January to the Council were Atkinson himself plus Charles Bowen, James Fulton, Charles Johnston, John Davies Ormond, William Downie Stewart Sr and John Blair Whyte.

Ballance had considerable difficulty in achieving reform of the Legislative Council, with new appointments to be for seven years rather than life, and he had major disagreements with the Governor. Ballance's victory is seen as establishing an important precedent in the relationship between Governor and Prime Minister.

The Ballance Ministry was the beginning of the Liberal Government, which lasted until 1912.[7][8] John Ballance died suddenly on 27 April 1893[9] and whilst Ballance had favoured Robert Stout as his successor, the caucus selected Richard Seddon instead. The Seddon Ministry was in power from 1 May 1893 until 10 June 1906, when Seddon in turn died.[7][10]

Initial composition of the 11th Parliament

74 seats were created across 66 electorates.[11][12][13]

While the Liberal party was the only established party structure at the time, many independent conservative MPs coalesced as a semi-formal conservative opposition under the leadership of John Bryce. Due to the loose nature of this grouping it is difficult to determine the affiliation of some Independent MPs.

Party Name Electorate Term
Liberal John Joyce Akaroa Second
Conservative Edward George Ashburton Third
Liberal Richard Meredith Ashley First
Liberal William Rees City of Auckland Second
Liberal John Shera City of Auckland First
Liberal Thomas Thompson City of Auckland Third
Liberal Edwin Blake Avon Third
Liberal Joseph Ward Awarua Second
Liberal Robert Houston Bay of Islands First
Conservative James Thomson Bruce Sixth
Independent Eugene O'Conor Buller Fourth
Liberal Westby Perceval City of Christchurch Second
Liberal William Reeves City of Christchurch Second
Independent Richard Taylor City of Christchurch Third
Liberal Thomas Mackenzie Clutha Second
Liberal Henry Fish City of Dunedin Third
Liberal William Hutchison City of Dunedin Third
Liberal–Labour David Pinkerton City of Dunedin First
Liberal William Dawson Dunedin Suburbs First
Liberal William Kelly East Coast Third
Conservative Edwin Mitchelson Eden Fourth
Conservative Harry Atkinson Egmont Ninth
Conservative John Hall Ellesmere Seventh
Conservative Ebenezer Hamlin Franklin Sixth
Conservative Arthur Rhodes Geraldine Second
Liberal Arthur Guinness Grey Third
Conservative William Rolleston Halswell Seventh
Conservative William Russell Hawke's Bay Fifth
Liberal–Labour William Tanner Heathcote First
Conservative Alfred Newman Hutt Third
Liberal Richard Reeves Inangahua Third
Liberal–Labour James Kelly Invercargill First
Conservative Richard Moore Kaiapoi First
Conservative Frank Buckland Manukau Second
Conservative Robert Thompson Marsden Second
Liberal Alexander Hogg Masterton First
Conservative George Richardson Mataura Third
Conservative Scobie Mackenzie Mount Ida Third
Conservative George Swan Napier First
Conservative Joseph Harkness City of Nelson Second
Liberal Edward Smith New Plymouth First
Liberal David Goldie Newton Third
Liberal Thomas Duncan Oamaru Fourth
Conservative James Wilson Palmerston Fourth
Conservative Frank Lawry[nb 1] Parnell Second
Liberal–Labour William Earnshaw Peninsula First
Independent James Mills Port Chalmers Third
Conservative Douglas Macarthur Rangitikei Third
Independent Alfred Saunders Selwyn Fifth
Liberal Walter Carncross Taieri First
Independent William Allen Te Aroha First
Liberal Alfred Cadman Thames Fourth
Independent Liberal William Hall-Jones Timaru Second
Conservative Hugh Valentine Tuapeka Second
Conservative John Bryce Waikato Eighth
Liberal William Steward Waimate Fifth
Liberal Charles H Mills Waimea-Picton First
Liberal William Smith Waipawa Fourth
Conservative Walter Buchanan Wairarapa Fourth
Liberal–Labour Lindsay Buick Wairau First
Liberal John McKenzie Waitaki Fourth
Independent Liberal Jackson Palmer Waitemata First
Conservative George Hutchinson Waitotara Second
Conservative Thomas Fergus Wakatipu Fourth
Liberal James Mackintosh Wallace First
Liberal John Ballance Wanganui Sixth
Conservative John Duthie City of Wellington First
Liberal George Fisher City of Wellington Third
Liberal Kennedy Macdonald City of Wellington First
Liberal Richard Seddon Westland Fifth
Independent James Carroll Eastern Maori Second
Independent Sydney Taiwhanga Northern Maori Second
Liberal Tame Parata Southern Maori Third
Independent Hoani Taipua Western Maori Third

Table footnotes:

  1. ↑ Lawry stood in support of the Atkinson Ministry but changed allegiance to the Liberals in 1891

Changes during 11th Parliament

There were a number of changes during the term of the 11th Parliament.

Electorate and by-electionDateIncumbentCauseWinner
Northern Maori 1891 7 February Sydney Taiwhanga Death[14][15] Eparaima Te Mutu Kapa
Egmont 1891 17 February   Harry Atkinson[16] Appointed to Legislative Council Felix McGuire[17]
Newton 1891 31 March David Goldie Resignation Sir George Grey
Te Aroha 1891 9 July William Allen Disallowed on petition William Fraser
Waikato 1891 6 October John Bryce Resignation Edward Lake
City of Christchurch 1891 9 October Westby Perceval Appointed Agent General Ebenezer Sandford
City of Wellington 1892 15 January Kennedy Macdonald Resignation William McLean
Bruce 1892 4 May James Thomson Resignation James Allen
Rangitikei 1892 8 July Douglas Macarthur Death Robert Bruce
Inangahua 1893 8 June Richard Reeves Bankruptcy Sir Robert Stout
Wanganui 1893 9 June John Ballance Death Archibald Willis
Thames 1893 26 July Alfred Cadman Resignation James McGowan
City of Auckland 1893 4 August William Rees Resignation Alfred Cadman
PersonYearSeatFromTo
Frank Lawry 1891 Parnell Conservative Liberal

Notes

  1. ↑ Scholefield 1950, p. 68.
  2. ↑ McRobie 1989, p. 55.
  3. ↑ McRobie 1989, pp. 54ff.
  4. ↑ Atkinson 2003, p. 81.
  5. ↑ Bassett 1982, p. 2.
  6. ↑ McIvor 1989, p. 179-180.
  7. 1 2 Scholefield 1950, p. 40.
  8. ↑ McLintock 2009.
  9. ↑ McIvor, Tim. "Ballance, John – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  10. ↑ Hamer, David. "Seddon, Richard John – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 16 September 2011.
  11. ↑ "General elections 1853–2005 – dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. Archived from the original on 27 May 2010. Retrieved 6 June 2010.
  12. ↑ "General Elections". The Wanganui Herald. Vol. XXIV, no. 7283. 6 December 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 31 August 2011.
  13. ↑ "The New House". The Evening Post. 8 December 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 22 August 2016.
  14. ↑ "Obituary". The Star. No. 7022. 28 November 1890. p. 3. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  15. ↑ "The Maori Elections". Northern Advocate. 6 December 1890. p. 2. Retrieved 1 September 2011.
  16. ↑ Scholefield 1950, p. 93.
  17. ↑ Scholefield 1950, p. 122.

References

  • Atkinson, Neill (2003). Adventures in Democracy: A History of the Vote in New Zealand. University of Otago Press. ISBN 978-1-877276-58-3. OCLC 469393822.
  • Bassett, Michael (1982). Three Party Politics in New Zealand 1911–1931. Auckland: Historical Publications. ISBN 0-86870-006-1.
  • McIvor, Timothy (1989). The Rainmaker: A biography of John Ballance. Auckland: Heinemann Reed. ISBN 0-7900-0024-5.
  • McLintock, A. H. (22 April 2009) [1966]. "Liberal Party". An Encyclopaedia of New Zealand.
  • McRobie, Alan (1989). Electoral Atlas of New Zealand. Wellington: GP Books. ISBN 0-477-01384-8.
  • Scholefield, Guy (1950) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1949 (3rd ed.). Wellington: Govt. Printer.
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.
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