15th New Zealand Parliament

The 15th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand formed after the 1902 general election. General-electorate voting took place on 25 November 1902, while the Māori electorates voted on 22 December. The election returned 80 members to the House of Representatives: 38 from North Island general electorates, 38 from South Island general electorates, and four from Māori electorates. Of 415,789 enrolled voters, the official turnout was 76.7%. The parliamentary term followed a substantial electoral-boundary reorganisation under the Representation Act 1900. The 1902 redistribution increased the number of general electorates represented in the House from 70 to 76. It also altered the operation of the country quota in the three-member electorates of the four main centres and broadened the permitted population variation between electorates to plus or minus 1,250. Since separate Representation Commissions had operated for the North and South Islands since 1896, the revised rules allowed the commissions to give greater weight to communities of interest, but the resulting changes disrupted many established political boundaries. Six electorates were created for the first time: Courtenay, Newtown, Grey Lynn, Hurunui, Oroua, and Kaipara. Mount Ida and Hutt, which had existed previously, were re-established. Ashley, Suburbs of Wellington, and Waihemo were abolished. These changes affected sitting members including Richard Meredith, Thomas Wilford, and Thomas Mackenzie, whose former electorates disappeared in the redistribution. The Liberal Government remained in office throughout the term. The government was led by Premier Richard Seddon, whose ministry had governed since the 1890s. Parliamentary politics during the term included Liberal, Conservative, Independent Liberal, Liberal–Labour, and Independent members, with the exact composition changing through by-elections and defections. The Parliament sat in three sessions and was prorogued on 15 November 1905. Seddon remained premier during the whole life of the Parliament, although he died on 10 June 1906, after the Parliament's term had ended. As a historical parliamentary term rather than a commercial organisation, the 15th Parliament had no products, customers, commercial ownership, or financial performance in the ordinary brand-directory sense. Its significance lies in the electoral redistribution that preceded it, the representation produced by the 1902 election, the continuation of Liberal government, and the legislative and political work undertaken across its three sessions.

The 15th New Zealand Parliament emerged from the political and administrative changes surrounding the 1902 general election. Its electoral framework was shaped by the Representation Act 1900 and the associated 1902 redistribution. That redistribution increased the House of Representatives' general-electorate membership from 70 to 76. It also modified the country quota affecting three-member electorates in the four principal urban centres and expanded the permitted population difference between electorates to plus or minus 1,250. The North and South Islands had separate Representation Commissions from 1896. Under the revised approach, those commissions had more room to account for communities of interest when drawing boundaries. The result was a major reshaping of existing electorates. Courtenay, Newtown, Grey Lynn, Hurunui, Oroua, and Kaipara were established for the first time. Mount Ida and Hutt were restored as electorates, while Ashley, Suburbs of Wellington, and Waihemo were abolished. The changes disrupted several existing political seats, including those held by Richard Meredith, Thomas Wilford, and Thomas Mackenzie. The general election was held on 25 November 1902 in the general electorates and on 22 December in the Māori electorates. It produced 80 members: 38 representing North Island general electorates, 38 representing South Island general electorates, and four representing Māori electorates. The electoral roll contained 415,789 people, and official turnout reached 76.7%. The Parliament operated during the continuing dominance of the Liberal Government. Richard Seddon's ministry, which had held office since the nineteenth century, remained in power throughout this parliamentary term. The parliamentary groupings included Liberals, Conservatives, Independent Liberals, Liberal–Labour members, and Independents. The composition changed during the term as a result of by-elections and defections, although the supplied reference material does not provide a complete member-by-member chronology of those changes. The 15th Parliament met in three sessions. Its work continued until it was prorogued on 15 November 1905. Seddon remained premier throughout the Parliament's term. He died on 10 June 1906, several months after the Parliament had been prorogued. The Parliament is therefore best understood as a historical institutional term rather than a continuing organisation: its identity is tied to the 1902 election, the contemporary electoral map, the Liberal administration, and the three-session parliamentary record ending in 1905.

• 1906

  Death of Richard Seddon after the parliamentary term

  [1]15th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  Richard Seddon, whose ministry had remained in office throughout the term, died on 10 June 1906, after the 15th Parliament had ended.

• 1905

  Parliament is prorogued

  [1]15th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  After three sessions, the 15th Parliament was prorogued on 15 November 1905.

• 1902

  Electoral redistribution reshapes constituencies

  [1]15th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  The redistribution increased general-electorate representation from 70 to 76, created six new electorates, re-established two former electorates, and abolished three existing electorates.

• 1902

  General election forms the 15th Parliament

  [1]15th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  Voting took place on 25 November in the general electorates and on 22 December in the Māori electorates. Eighty MPs were elected, with official turnout recorded at 76.7%.

• 1900

  Representation Act establishes the framework for redistribution

  [1]15th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org

  The Representation Act 1900 provided the statutory basis for increasing the number of general electorates and restructuring electoral representation implemented through the 1902 redistribution.

A historical term of New Zealand's national legislature, defined by the 1902 electoral redistribution, the 1902 general election, and the continuation of the Liberal Government under Richard Seddon.

• 1902

  Implementation of the 1902 electoral redistributionStrategy

  Background

  The Representation Act 1900 required changes to the structure and boundaries of representation before the 1902 election.

  Action taken

  Representation Commissions revised the electoral map, increasing general electorates from 70 to 76, creating six electorates, restoring two, and abolishing three.

  Aftermath

  The revised boundaries determined the constituencies contested in the 1902 election and substantially altered the political geography inherited from the previous Parliament.

  Source

1. 115th New Zealand Parliamenten.wikipedia.org