1898 Hastings and Macleay colonial by-election
{{Short description|Election result for Hastings and Macleay, New South Wales, Australia}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Hastings and Macleay on 23 September 1898 because Francis Clarke ({{Australian politics/name|National Federal}}) resigned to allow Edmund Barton to re-enter parliament.{{Cite NSW Parliament |name=Mr Francis Clarke (1857-1939) |id=1024 |former=Yes |access-date=2020-09-25}}
Dates
| class="wikitable"
! Date !! Event |
| 27 July 1898
| 1898 New South Wales colonial election |
| 27 August 1898 |
| 8 September 1898
| Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article220976747 |title=Writ of election: Hastings and Macleay |newspaper=New South Wales Government Gazette |issue=791 |date=8 September 1898 |access-date=2020-09-25 |page=7197 |via=Trove}} |
| 15 September 1898
| Nominations |
| 23 September 1898
| Polling day |
| 11 October 1898
| Return of writ |
Result
{{Election box begin
|title=
Friday 23 September{{hsp}}{{cite NSW election |title=1898 Hastings and Macleay by-election |year=1898 |district=Hastings and Macleay_1 |access-date=2020-09-25}}
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|party = National Federal
|candidate = Edmund Barton (elected)
|votes = 960
|percentage = 59.3
|change =
}}
{{Election box candidate AU party
|party = Free Trade
|candidate = Sydney Smith
|votes = 658
|percentage = 40.7
|change =
}}
{{Election box formal
|votes = 1,618
|percentage = 99.7
|change =
}}
{{Election box informal
|votes = 4
|percentage = 0.3
|change =
}}
{{Election box turnout
|votes = 1,622
|percentage = 66.8
|change =
}}
{{Election box hold AU party
|winner = National Federal
|swing = No
}}
{{Election box end}}
Francis Clarke ({{Australian politics/name|National Federal}}) resigned to allow Edmund Barton to re-enter parliament.
Aftermath
The election campaign of Sydney Smith was assisted by James Young, who was the Free Trade member for the neighbouring district of The Manning and Secretary for Public Works. Justice William Owen was subsequently appointed to conduct a Royal Commission into allegations concerning Young's conduct during the by-election,{{cite web |url=https://search.records.nsw.gov.au/permalink/f/1ebnd1l/ORGANISATIONS1004355 |title=Royal Commission of Inquiry into certain allegations concerning the conduct of the Honourable James Henry Young, Secretary for Public Works, during the recent Election for the Hastings and the Macleay Electorate, and into the circumstances and proceedings |work=State Records |publisher=Government of New South Wales |date=15 December 1898 |access-date=2021-07-04}} The major allegation was that the effect of Young's statements was that as Secretary for Public Works he would favour Smith more than Barton in dealing with the requirements of the electorate. Justice Owen found Young had not abused the powers of his office, however rebuked him for a "grave indiscretion" in the way he spoke.{{cite news |url=https://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article14190447 |title=The Hastings-Macleay election |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=15 December 1898 |access-date=5 July 2021 |page=7 |via=Trove}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{NSW by-elections 18th parl|state=expanded}}
{{Results of New South Wales state elections}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hastings and Macleay 1898}}
Category:1898 elections in Australia