Ashley (New Zealand electorate)

{{NZelectorateShortDesc|current=no|type=general|region=Canterbury}}

Ashley was a New Zealand electorate situated north of Christchurch. It was in use from 1866 to 1902, and was replaced with the Hurunui electorate.

Population centres

In the 1865 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives focussed its review of electorates to South Island electorates only, as the Otago gold rush had caused significant population growth, and a redistribution of the existing population. Fifteen additional South Island electorates were created, including Ashley, and the number of Members of Parliament was increased by 13 to 70.{{sfn|McRobie|1989|p=36}}

The Ashley electorate was formed from a corner of Cheviot electorate, and included the towns of Ashley, Amberley, and Oxford. The electorate's boundaries remained roughly the same until the 1881 election, when it expanded slightly into Kaiapoi electorate and Amberley was returned to Cheviot. In the 1887 election, the electorate expanded westwards into Cheviot's southern tip. In the 1890 election, Cheviot itself was abolished, and the majority of its territory was absorbed into Ashley — to compensate, territory was taken from Ashley in the south and given to Kaiapoi. In the 1893 election, Ashley expanded further north, taking the town of Kaikōura from Wairau electorate, but ceded Oxford to Kaiapoi in the south. In the 1902 election, Ashley was dissolved, being replaced with an electorate called Hurunui, covering much the same area.

History

The first representative was Lancelot Walker, who won the {{NZ election link|1866}} unopposed.{{cite news |title=Ashley election |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18660303.2.12 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=The Press |volume=IX |issue=1035 |date=3 March 1866 |page=2}} Walker resigned in the following year{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=}} and was succeeded by Henry Tancred in the {{By-election link|Ashley|1867}}; Tancred was also unopposed.{{DNZB|Parton|H. N.|1T9|Tancred, Henry John|9 March 2010}}{{cite news |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/LT18670809.2.10 |title= Ashley Election |work=Lyttelton Times |date=9 August 1867 | volume=XXVIII |issue=2070|via=Papers Past | access-date=21 December 2020 |page=2}} Tancred retired at the end of the parliamentary term in 1870 and was succeeded by John Evans Brown, who won the election against two others.{{sfn|Wilson|1985|p=186}} At the 1876 election, Brown was challenged by William Miles Maskell, who had been one of his opponents in 1871, but Brown retained his seat.

For the 1879 election, three candidates contested the election, with William Sefton Moorhouse gaining an absolute majority. The 1881 election was contested by five candidates, with William Fisher Pearson the winner. In the 1884 election, Pearson had a dominant win over one challenger.

In the {{NZ election link|1890}}, the electorate was contested by Richard Meredith, James Dupré Lance and John George Knight,{{cite news |title=Ashley Electoral District |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18901128.2.59.6 |access-date=22 November 2013 |work=The Press |date=28 November 1890 |volume=XLVIL |issue=7721 |page=8}} who received 648, 611 and 137 votes, respectively. Meredith was thus declared elected.{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1890 |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1891-I.2.1.6.2 |publisher=National Library |access-date=25 February 2012 |page=2 |year=1891}}

=Members of Parliament=

Key

width=100 \|Election ! width=175 colspan=2 \|Winner
class="wikitable"
{{NZ election link\|1866}} \| width=5 bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| Lancelot Walker
{{By-election link small\|Ashley\|1867}} \| bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| Henry Tancred
{{NZ election link\|1871}}{{cite news \|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18710220.2.12\|title=The General Elections \|date=20 February 1871 \|issue=852 \|work=The Star \|page=3 \|access-date=19 April 2010}} \| rowspan=2 bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| rowspan=2 \| John Brown
1876 election{{cite news \|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18760112.2.10.1 \|title=Ashley Polling \|date=12 January 1876 \|issue=2435 \|work=The Star \|page=2 \|access-date=23 April 2010}}
{{NZ election link\|1879}}{{cite news \|url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=GRA18790913.2.9 \|title=The General Assembly Elections \|date=13 September 1879 \|volume=XXIII \|issue=3454 \|publisher=Grey River Argus \|access-date=24 March 2010 \|page=2}} \| bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| \| William Moorhouse
{{NZ election link\|1881}} \| rowspan=3 bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| rowspan=3 \| William Pearson
{{NZ election link\|1884}}
{{NZ election link\|1887}}
{{By-election link small\|Ashley\|1888}} \| bgcolor={{party color\|Independent politician}} \| \| John Verrall
{{NZ election link\|1890}} \| rowspan=4 bgcolor={{party color\|New Zealand Liberal Party}} \| \| rowspan=4 \| Richard Meredith
{{NZ election link\|1893}}
{{NZ election link\|1896}}
{{NZ election link\|1899}}
colspan=3 align=center\|(Electorate abolished in 1902; see {{NZ electorate link\|Hurunui}})

Election results

=1899 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1899 general election: Ashley{{cite web |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1900-I.2.3.2.54 |title=The General Election, 1899 |date=19 June 1900 |publisher=Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives |page=2 |access-date=1 November 2012 |location=Wellington}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = Richard Meredith

|votes = 1,943

|percentage = 61.98

|change = +11.34

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative (New Zealand)

|candidate = Thomas Caverhill

|votes = 1,192

|percentage = 38.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 751

|percentage = 23.96

|change = +12.87

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 3,135

|percentage = 70.15

|change = -12.51

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 4,469

}}

=1896 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1896 general election: Ashley{{cite news |title=Ashley |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18961205.2.40.2 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=The Press |volume=LIII |issue=9592 |date=5 December 1896 |page=8}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = Richard Meredith

|votes = 1,700

|percentage = 50.64

|change = -8.20

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative (New Zealand)

|candidate = Henry Fear Reece

|votes = 1,328

|percentage = 39.56

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = George Renner

|votes = 329

|percentage = 9.80

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 372

|percentage = 11.08

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 3,357

|percentage = 82.66

|change = +12.25

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 4,061

}}

=1893 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1893 general election: Ashley{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1893 |year=1894 |publisher=National Library |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1894-I.2.3.2.21 |access-date=26 March 2014 |page=2}}{{cite news |title=Election Notices |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18931204.2.3.5 |access-date=26 March 2014 |work=The Press |date=4 December 1893 |volume=L |issue=8656 |page=1}}{{cite news |title=Ashley |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=TS18931129.2.7.4 |access-date=26 March 2014 |work=The Star |date=29 November 1893 |issue=4813 |page=1}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = Richard Meredith

|votes = 1,668

|percentage = 58.84

|change = +12.61

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Conservative (New Zealand)

|candidate = David Duncan Macfarlane

|votes = 1,078

|percentage = 38.02

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = David Dick

|votes = 89

|percentage = 3.14

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 590

|percentage = 20.81

|change = +18.51

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 2,835

|percentage = 70.42

|change =

}}

=1890 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1890 general election: Ashley

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = Richard Meredith

|votes = 643

|percentage = 46.22

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = James Dupré Lance

|votes = 611

|percentage = 43.92

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = New Zealand Liberal Party

|candidate = John George Knight

|votes = 137

|percentage = 9.84

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 38

|percentage = 2.73

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 1,391

|percentage = 55.90

|change =

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 2,488

}}

=1888 by-election=

=1887 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1887 general election: Ashley{{cite web |title=The General Election, 1887 |url= https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1887-II.2.1.9.13 |publisher=National Library |access-date=25 February 2012 |page=2 |year=1887}}{{cite news |title=Ashley |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&cl=search&d=CHP18870920.2.54 |access-date=14 February 2014 |work=The Press |date=20 September 1887 |volume=XLIV |issue=6861 |page=6}}

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Fisher Pearson

|votes = 501

|percentage = 57.65

|change = -25.28

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Robert Luke Higgins

|votes = 262

|percentage = 30.15

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = John Verrall

|votes = 106

|percentage = 12.20

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 239

|percentage = 27.50

|change = -38.36

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 869

|percentage = 58.96

|change = 25.03

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 1,474

}}

=1884 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1884 general election: Ashley{{cite book

|first1 = G. S.

|last1 = Cooper

|title = The General Election, 1884

|year = 1884

|publisher = National Library

|url = https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1884-II.2.2.3.5

|page = 2

|access-date = 21 December 2020

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Fisher Pearson

|votes = 413

|percentage = 82.93

|change = +38.01

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Peter Duncan

|votes = 85

|percentage = 17.07

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 328

|percentage = 65.86

|change = +44.51

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 498

|percentage = 33.92

|change = -25.18

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 1,468

}}

=1881 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1881 general election: Ashley{{cite book

|first1 = G. S.

|last1 = Cooper

|title = Votes Recorded for Each Candidate

|year = 1882

|publisher = Government Printer

|url = https://atojs.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/atojs?a=d&cl=search&d=AJHR1882-I.2.2.4.1

|page = 2

|access-date = 21 December 2020

}}{{cite news |title=Ashley |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GLOBE18811203.2.20 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=Globe |volume=XXIII |issue=2393 |date=3 December 1881 |page=3}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Fisher Pearson

|votes = 385

|percentage = 44.92

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = James Guild

|votes = 202

|percentage = 23.57

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Marmaduke Dixon

|votes = 158

|percentage = 18.44

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = James Alexander Cunningham

|votes = 104

|percentage = 12.14

|change = +3.44

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Patterson

|votes = 8

|percentage = 0.93

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 183

|percentage = 21.35

|change = 11.61

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 857

|percentage = 59.10

|change =

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors = 1,450

}}

=1879 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1879 general election: Ashley{{cite news |title=The elections |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GLOBE18790916.2.14 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=Globe |volume=XXI |issue=1739 |date=16 September 1879 |page=2}}{{sfn|McRobie|1989|p=44}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Sefton Moorhouse

|votes = 337

|percentage = 50.52

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Walpole Cheshire Fendall

|votes = 272

|percentage = 40.78

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = James Alexander Cunningham

|votes = 58

|percentage = 8.70

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 65

|percentage = 9.75

|change = -5.72

}}

{{Election box informal

|votes =

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 686

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors =

}}

=1875–1876 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1875–1876 general election: Ashley{{cite news |title=The elections |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP18760113.2.15 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=The Press |volume=XXV |issue=3235 |date=13 January 1876 |page=2}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = John Evans Brown

|votes = 265

|percentage = 57.73

|change = +4.30

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Miles Maskell

|votes = 194

|percentage = 42.27

|change = +21.33

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 71

|percentage = 15.47

|change = -12.34

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 459

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors =

}}

=1871 election=

{{Election box begin | title=1871 general election: Ashley{{cite news |title=The general elections |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TS18710220.2.12 |access-date=21 December 2020 |work=The Star |issue=852 |date=20 February 1871 |page=3}}

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = John Evans Brown

|votes = 171

|percentage = 53.44

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Albert Charles Gray

|votes = 82

|percentage = 25.63

|change =

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = William Miles Maskell

|votes = 67

|percentage = 20.94

|change =

}}

{{Election box majority

|votes = 89

|percentage = 27.81

|change =

}}

{{Election box turnout

|votes = 320

|percentage =

|change =

}}

{{Election box Registered electors

|reg. electors =

}}

Notes

References

{{cite book |title=Electoral Atlas of New Zealand |last=McRobie |first=Alan |year=1989 |publisher=GP Books |location=Wellington |isbn=0-477-01384-8}}
{{cite book | editor-last = Scholefield | editor-first = Guy | editor-link = Guy Scholefield | title = A Dictionary of New Zealand Biography : A–L | volume = I | year = 1940 | publisher = Department of Internal Affairs | location = Wellington | url = https://www.nzhistory.net.nz/files/documents/dnzb-1940/scholefield-dnzb-v1.pdf | access-date = 6 October 2013}}
{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc= 154283103}}

Category:Historical electorates of New Zealand

Category:1865 establishments in New Zealand

Category:1902 disestablishments in New Zealand

Category:Waimakariri District

Category:Politics of the Canterbury Region