1898 Mataura by-election

1898 Mataura by-election

26 May 1898
Turnout	3,401
Candidate Robert McNab Wilfrid Ward Party Liberal Independent Popular vote 1,894 1,507
MP before election George Richardson Independent Elected MP Robert McNab Liberal

The Mataura by-election, 1898 was a by-election held on 26 May 1898 during the 13th New Zealand Parliament in the rural lower South Island electorate of Mataura.

Background

The by-election was triggered after sitting Member George Richardson was declared bankrupt.^[1] Robert McNab stated that had Richardson contested the election, he would not have accepted a nomination and allowed him to return unopposed.^[2] McNab had previously represented the Mataura electorate from 1893 to 1896 when he was defeated by Richardson.^[3]

Results

The following table gives the election results:

1898 Mataura by-election^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Robert McNab	1,894	55.68
	Independent	Wilfrid Francis Ward	1,507	44.31
Majority			387	11.37
Turnout			3,401

After winning the contest, McNab held the seat uninterrupted until 1908 when he was defeated.^[3]

Notes

1. "The Hon. G.F. Richardson's Bankruptcy". Grey River Argus. 30 April 1898. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
2. "The Mataura Nominations". Evening Post. Vol. LV, no. 116. 18 May 1898. p. 6. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
3. Traue, J. E. "McNab, Robert". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
4. "Result of Mataura Election". Wanganui Herald. Vol. XXXII, no. 9447. 27 May 1898. p. 2. Retrieved 4 April 2016.