19th New Zealand Parliament

Term of the Parliament of New Zealand

19th Parliament of New Zealand

| <-| 18th Parliament | 20th Parliament| ->

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Overview
Legislative body| New Zealand Parliament
Term| 24 June 1915 – 5 November 1919
Election| 1914 New Zealand general election
Government| Reform Government
House of Representatives

Members| 80
Speaker of the House| Frederic Lang
Prime Minister| William Massey
Leader of the Opposition| Joseph Ward
Legislative Council
Members| 37 (at start)
39 (at end)
Speaker of the Council| Sir Walter Carncross from 1 November 1918
— Charles Johnson until 13 June 1918†
— Charles Bowen until 4 July 1915
Leader of the Council| Sir Francis Bell
Sovereign
Monarch| HM George V
Governor-General
as Governor until 28 June 1917| HE Rt. Hon. The Earl of Liverpool

The 19th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. It opened on 24 June 1915, following the 1914 election. It was dissolved on 27 November 1919 in preparation for 1919 election.

## Sessions

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The 19th Parliament opened on 24 June 1915, following the 1914 general election. It sat for six sessions (with two sessions in 1918), and was dissolved on 27 November 1919.[1]

Session | Opened | Ended | Prorogued

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first | 24 June 1915 | 12 October 1915 | 15 October 1915
second | 9 May 1916 | 8 August 1916 | 9 August 1916
third | 28 June 1917 | 1 November 1917 | 2 November 1917
fourth | 9 April 1918 | 15 April 1918 | 17 April 1918
fifth | 24 October 1918 | 9 December 1918 | 12 December 1918
sixth | 28 August 1919 | 5 November 1919 | 7 November 1919

## Historical context

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The 19th Parliament was the second term of the Reform Party government, which had been elected in the 1911 election. William Massey, the leader of the Reform Party, remained Prime Minister.[2] The Liberal Party, led by former Prime Minister Joseph Ward, was technically the main opposition party, although for the majority of the term, the Liberals were part of a war-time coalition with Reform. Two small left-wing parties, the Social Democratic Party and the loosely grouped remnants of the United Labour Party, also held seats, and there was one left-wing independent (John Payne). During the 19th Parliament, the Social Democrats and most of the United Labour Party merged to form the modern Labour Party.

## Party standings

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There were 616,043 electors on the European roll, with 521,525 (84.66%) voting, including 5,618 informal votes.[3] Turnout including Maori voters was 540,075. The following table shows votes at and party strengths immediately after the 1914 election:[citation needed]

### 1914–1916

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Party | Leader(s) | Seats at start

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| Reform Party | William Massey | 40
| Liberal Party | Joseph Ward | 34
| United Labour Party | Alfred Hindmarsh | 3
| Social Democrat Party | James McCombs | 2
| Independents | 1

### 1916–1919

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Party | Leader(s) | Seats at end

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| Reform Party | William Massey | 39
| Liberal Party | Joseph Ward | 34
| Labour Party | Alfred Hindmarsh, then Harry Holland | 5
| Independents | 2

## Members

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### Initial MPs

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76 general and 4 Māori electorates existed for the 19th Parliament.

The following are the results of the 1914 general election:

Key

Liberal Reform United Labour Social Democrat Independent Labour Independent

Electorate results for the 1914 New Zealand general election[4] Electorate  | Incumbent  | Winner  | Majority  | Runner up

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General electorates
Ashburton |  | William Nosworthy | 157  |  | William Maslin
Auckland Central |  | Albert Glover | 2,302  |  | Michael Joseph Savage
Auckland East |  | Arthur Myers | 2,507  |  | Arthur Holmes
Auckland West |  | James Bradney |  | Charles Poole | 1,411  |  | James Bradney
Awarua |  | Joseph Ward | 1,226  |  | John Hamilton
Avon |  | George Russell | 1,073  |  | Dan Sullivan
Bay of Islands |  | Vernon Reed | 108  |  | Peter Buck
Bay of Plenty |  | William MacDonald | 965  |  | Kenneth Williams
Bruce |  | James Allen | 693  |  | Charles Smith
Buller |  | James Colvin | 2,195  |  | George Powell
Chalmers |  | Edward Clark |  | James Dickson | 686  |  | William Mason
Christchurch East |  | Thomas Davey |  | Henry Thacker | 1,890  |  | Hiram Hunter
Christchurch North |  | Leonard Isitt | 1,217  |  | Henry Toogood[5]
Christchurch South |  | Harry Ell | 2,333  |  | Gains Whiting
Clutha |  | Alexander Malcolm | 1,009  |  | John Jenkinson
Dunedin Central |  | Charles Statham | 12  |  | Jim Munro
Dunedin North |  | George Thomson |  | Andrew Walker | 322  |  | George Thomson
Dunedin South |  | Thomas Sidey | 2,697  |  | Thomas Dalton
Dunedin West |  | John A. Millar |  | William Downie Stewart | 345  |  | John Johnson
Eden |  | John Bollard |  | James Parr | 2,456  |  | William Tuck
Egmont |  | Charles Wilkinson | 894  |  | David Astbury
Ellesmere |  | Heaton Rhodes | 273  |  | James Free
Franklin |  | William Massey | 2,928  |  | Arthur Glass
Gisborne |  | James Carroll | 1,249  |  | Harry de Lautour
Grey |  | Paddy Webb | 980  |  | Henry Michel
Grey Lynn |  | John Payne | 89  |  | Murdoch McLean
Hawke's Bay |  | Hugh Campbell |  | Robert McNab | 40  |  | Hugh Campbell
Hurunui |  | George Forbes | 1,486  |  | William Banks
Hutt |  | Thomas Wilford | 943  |  | Albert Samuel
Invercargill |  | Josiah Hanan | 1,590  |  | John Lillicrap
Kaiapoi |  | David Buddo | 1,181  |  | David Jones
Kaipara |  | Gordon Coates | 1,118  |  | Richard Hoe
Lyttelton |  | James McCombs | 1,598  |  | Malcolm Miller
Manukau |  | Frederic Lang | 1,224  |  | John McLarin
Marsden |  | Francis Mander | 940  |  | Edmund Purdie
Masterton |  | George Sykes | 193  |  | Alexander Hogg
Mataura |  | George Anderson | 174  |  | William Mehaffey
Motueka |  | Roderick McKenzie |  | Richard Hudson | 602  |  | Roderick McKenzie
Napier |  | Vigor Brown | 2,215  |  | George William Venables[6]
Nelson |  | Harry Atmore |  | Thomas Field | 90  |  | Harry Atmore
Oamaru |  | Ernest Lee | 338  |  | John MacPherson
Ohinemuri |  | Hugh Poland | 100  |  | Joseph Clark
Oroua |  | David Guthrie | 1,119  |  | John Morrison
Otago Central |  | Robert Scott | 999  |  | William Bodkin
Otaki |  | John Robertson |  | William Field | 640  |  | John Robertson
Pahiatua |  | James Escott | 683  |  | John Mathews
Palmerston |  | David Buick | 1,109  |  | Jim Thorn
Parnell |  | James Dickson | 1,172  |  | Jeremiah Sullivan
Patea |  | George Pearce | 118  |  | William Morrison
Raglan |  | Richard Bollard | 1,448  |  | William Thompson
Rangitikei |  | Edward Newman | 903  |  | Robert Hornblow
Riccarton |  | George Witty | 1,215  |  | Bertram Bunn
Selwyn |  | William Dickie | 1,227  |  | George Sheat
Stratford |  | John Hine | 637  |  | Bill Hawkins
Taranaki |  | Henry Okey | 201  |  | Daniel Hughes
Taumarunui |  | Charles Wilson |  | William Jennings | 205  |  | Charles Wilson
Tauranga |  | William Herries | 1,992  |  | Ralph Stewart
Temuka |  | Thomas Buxton |  | Charles Talbot | 407  |  | Charles Kerr
Thames |  | Thomas Rhodes | 515  |  | Edmund Taylor
Timaru |  | James Craigie | 1,110  |  | Frank Smith
Waikato |  | Alexander Young | 2,193  |  | Alexander Scholes
Waimarino |  | Robert Smith | 1,995  |  | Hugh Speed
Waipawa |  | George Hunter | 138  |  | Albert Jull
Wairarapa |  | Walther Buchanan |  | J. T. Marryat Hornsby | 60  |  | Walter Buchanan
Wairau |  | Richard McCallum | 369  |  | John Duncan
Waitaki |  | Francis Smith |  | John Anstey | 156  |  | Norton Francis
Waitemata |  | Alexander Harris | 1,013  |  | Henry Cromwell Tewsley[7]
Wanganui |  | Bill Veitch | 852  |  | Frederick Pirani
Wakatipu |  | William Fraser | 897  |  | Joseph Stephens[8]
Wallace |  | John Thomson | 881  |  | Alexander Rodger
Wellington Central |  | Francis Fisher |  | Robert Fletcher | 2,329  |  | Francis Fisher
Wellington East |  | Alfred Newman | 48  |  | David McLaren
Wellington North |  | Alexander Herdman | 2,655  |  | William Turnbull
Wellington South |  | Alfred Hindmarsh | 1,215  |  | John Luke
Wellington Suburbs and Country |  | William Bell |  | Robert Wright | 1,002  |  | Frank Moore
Westland |  | Tom Seddon | 826  |  | Arthur Paape
Māori electorates
Eastern Maori |  | Sir Āpirana Ngata | 2,825  |  | Hetekia Pere
Northern Maori |  | Te Rangi Hīroa |  | Taurekareka Henare | 176  |  | Hemi te Paa
Southern Maori |  | Taare Parata | 238  |  | Teone Matapura Erihana
Western Maori |  | Māui Pōmare |  | Māui Pōmare | 2,107  |  | Hema te Ao

### By-elections during the 19th Parliament

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There were a number of changes during the term of the 19th Parliament.

Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Cause | Winner

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Dunedin Central | 1915 | 3 February  |  | Charles Statham | Resignation  |  | Charles Statham
Bay of Islands | 1915 | 8 June  |  | Vernon Reed | Election declared void[9] |  | William Stewart
Taumarunui | 1915 | 15 June  |  | William Jennings | Election declared void[10] |  | William Jennings
Pahiatua | 1916 | 17 August  |  | James Escott | Death  |  | Harold Smith
Hawke's Bay | 1917 | 8 March  |  | Robert McNab | Death  |  | John Findlay
Bay of Islands | 1917 | 17 March  |  | William Stewart | Resignation  |  | Vernon Reed
Grey | 1917 | 24 November  |  | Paddy Webb | Resignation  |  | Paddy Webb
Wellington North | 1918 | 12 February  |  | Alexander Herdman | Resignation  |  | John Luke
Southern Maori | 1918 | 21 February  |  | Taare Parata | Death  |  | Hopere Uru
Grey | 1918 | 29 May  |  | Paddy Webb | Imprisonment  |  | Harry Holland
Wellington Central | 1918 | 3 October  |  | Robert Fletcher | Death  |  | Peter Fraser
Taranaki | 1918 | 10 October  |  | Henry Okey | Death  |  | Sydney Smith
Palmerston | 1918 | 19 December  |  | David Buick | Death  |  | Jimmy Nash
Wellington South | 1918 | 19 December  |  | Alfred Hindmarsh | Death  |  | Bob Semple

### Summary of changes

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#### Party changes

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* Thomas Rhodes, the Liberal Party MP for Thames, changed affiliation to the Reform Party in 1915.
* The Social Democratic Party and the loose United Labour Party grouping merged to form the modern Labour Party on 7 July 1916. One ULP member, Bill Veitch, rejected the merger, and carried on as an independent.

#### Deaths

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* James Escott (Reform, Pahiatua) died on 28 July 1916.
* 1916 Pahiatua by-election – won by Harold Smith (Reform)
* Robert McNab (Liberal, Hawkes Bay) died on 3 February 1917.
* 1917 Hawkes Bay by-election – won by John Findlay (Liberal)
* Taare Parata (Liberal, Southern Maori) died on 8 January 1918.
* 1918 Southern Maori by-election – won by Hopere Uru (Independent)
* Robert Fletcher (Liberal, Wellington Central) died on 4 September 1918.
* 1918 Wellington Central by-election – won by Peter Fraser (Labour)
* Henry Okey (Reform, Taranaki) died on 13 September 1918
* 1918 Taranaki by-election – won by Sydney Smith (Independent aligned with Liberals)
* Alfred Hindmarsh (Labour, Wellington South) died on 13 November 1918.
* 1918 Wellington South by-election – won by Bob Semple (Labour)
* David Buick (Reform, Palmerston) died on 18 November 1918.
* 1918 Palmerston by-election – won by Jimmy Nash (Reform)
* James Colvin (Liberal, Buller) died on 29 October 1919.
* Seat remained vacant, as it was only two months until the general election.

#### Resignations

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* William Stewart (Reform, Bay of Islands) resigned in March 1917. Stewart won the seat in a by-election when the victory of another Reform candidate, Vernon Reed, had been overturned, and Stewart's resignation opened the way for Reed to return via another by-election.
* 1915 Bay of Islands by-election – won by William Stewart (Reform)
* 1917 Bay of Islands by-election – won by Vernon Reed (Reform)
* Paddy Webb (Labour, Grey) resigned in November 1917. He then challenged the government to fight the resulting by-election on the issue of conscription, which Webb opposed. The government declined the challenge, and did not contest the by-election.
* 1917 Grey by-election – won by Paddy Webb (Labour)
* Alexander Herdman (Reform, Wellington North) resigned in February 1918. Herdman, as Attorney-General, had just appointed himself to a judicial position, and was resigning in order to take up this role.
* 1918 Wellington North by-election – won by John Luke (Reform)

#### Expulsions

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* William Thomas Jennings (Liberal Party, Taumarunui) lost his seat in May 1915 when his election the previous year was declared void.
* 1915 Taumarunui by-election – won by William Thomas Jennings (Liberal)
* Vernon Reed (Reform, Bay of Islands) lost his seat in May 1915 when his election the previous year was declared void. (His successor later resigned, allowing Reed to reclaim the seat).
* 1915 Bay of Islands by-election – won by William Stewart (Reform)
* Paddy Webb (Labour, Grey) lost his seat in April 1918, having been jailed for refusing military service. (He had previously fought and won a by-election on the issue).
* 1918 Grey by-election – won by Harry Holland (Labour)

## Notes

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1. ^ Wilson 1985, pp. 138, 141.
2. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 58.
3. ^ Wilson 1985, p. 286.
4. ^ Hislop, J. (1915). The General Election, 1914. National Library. pp. 1–33. Retrieved 1 August 2013.1-33&rft.pub=National+Library&rft.date=1915&rft.aulast=Hislop&rft.aufirst=J.&rft_id=https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&d;=AJHR1915-I.2.3.2.36&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:19th+New+Zealand+Parliament" class="Z3988">
5. ^ "Henry Featherston Toogood (1879–1962)". Engineering New Zealand. Archived from the original on 1 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
6. ^ "General Election". The Press. Vol. L, no. 15116\. 4 November 1914. p. 7. Retrieved 16 October 2015.
7. ^ "Mr. H.C. Tewsley". Observer. Vol. XXXV, no. 14\. 12 December 1914. p. 15. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
8. ^ "Labour's Candidates". Maoriland Worker. Vol. 12, no. 299\. 22 November 1922. p. 12. Retrieved 26 January 2014.
9. ^ "Election void, Vernon Reed disqualified for a year". Colonist. Vol. LVII, no. 13773\. 10 May 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2011.
10. ^ "Mr Jennings Unseated for Taumarunui". Ashburton Guardian. Vol. XXXV, no. 9140\. 14 May 1915. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2011.

## References

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* Gustafson, Barry (1980). Labour's path to political independence: The Origins and Establishment of the New Zealand Labour Party, 1900–19. Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press. ISBN 0-19-647986-X.
* 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.