New Zealand general election, 1887

1887 general election

1884 ← members 7 (Māori) & 26 (general) September 1887 → 1890 members

All 95 seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives Turnout 67.1%   First party   Leader Harry Atkinson Party Independent Leader's seat Egmont Last election 95 seats Seats won 95 Seat change Popular vote N/A Percentage N/A Swing N/A

Prime Minister before election Robert Stout Independent Prime Minister-designate Harry Atkinson Independent

The New Zealand general election of 1887 was held on 26 September^[1] to elect 95 MPs to the tenth session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 7 September. 175,410 votes (67.1% turnout) were cast.^[2]

1887 was the year the Independent Representation Commission was established to redraw electorate boundaries after each five-yearly population census. The country quota was reduced to 18%. A £10 candidate's deposit was introduced.

The Scarecrow Ministry

There was confusion in Wellington in September 1887 when the members gathered to form a government. John Bryce, William Rolleston and Robert Stout had all lost their seats. Sir John Hall said he was too old. Sir Julius Vogel's policies had been rejected by the voters.

So there was no alternative to Harry Atkinson, and after two weeks of negotiations he announced a ministry on 11 October. Only two ministers had served with him before. The Scarecrow Ministry was not expected to last, but did.

The years 1887 and 1888 were the worst of the Long Depression, and Atkinson cut salaries, raised loans and raised customs duties. He was not popular with the wealthy, but they feared the Opposition leaders Grey and Balance even more. And by 1890 Atkinson was too ill to make speeches in the House.

References

1. ^ "THE GENERAL ELECTION RESULTS.". Star. Issue 6043, 27 September 1887. pp. 2. http://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/cgi-bin/paperspast?a=d&d=TS18870927.2.5. Retrieved 24 April 2010. 
2. ^ "General elections 1853-2005 - dates & turnout". Elections New Zealand. http://www.elections.org.nz/elections/resultsdata/elections-dates-turnout.html. Retrieved 12 September 2010. 

• Sir Harry Atkinson by Judith Bassett (1975, Auckland/Oxford University Presses, Auckland) ISBN 0196479347
• Sir Harry Atkinson by Judith Bassett (1969, AH & AW Reed, Wellington; New Zealand Profiles series of booklets)