# Grey (New Zealand electorate)

Grey, originally formed as Greymouth, is a former parliamentary electorate in the West Coast region of New Zealand. The electorate of Greymouth was created for the 1881 general election, and lasted until 1890. In 1890 the Grey electorate was created, and was abolished in 1919.

## Population centres

Throughout the electorate's history, the town of Greymouth was always included in its area. The town of Brunner belonged to the electorate during most periods.

## History

Greymouth was represented from the 1881 general election by Joseph Petrie. He was defeated in the 1884 general election by Arthur Guinness, who represented the electorate (renamed in 1890 as Grey) until his death in 1913.
After the resulting 1913 by-election, the electorate was represented from 1916 to 1919 by two radical politicians from the West Coast coal mines representing the Labour Party or its predecessors. They were Paddy Webb, who was imprisoned in 1918, and Harry Holland, who represented Grey from the by-election on 29 May 1918 until 16 December 1919 when the electorate was abolished.

## Members of Parliament

The various electorates were represented by four members of parliament. From 1881 to 1890, Greymouth was a single-member electorate, renamed as Grey from 1890 to 1919.
Key
| Independent | Liberal |
| Social Democrat | Labour |
| Election | Winner |
| 1881 election | Joseph Petrie |
| 1884 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1887 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1890 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1893 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1896 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1899 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1902 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1905 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1908 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1911 election | Arthur Guinness |
| 1913 by-election | Paddy Webb |
| 1914 election | Paddy Webb |
| 1917 by-election | Paddy Webb |
| 1918 by-election | Harry Holland |
| (Electorate abolished in 1919; see Buller) |||

## Election results
### 1918 by-election

1918 Grey by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Harry Holland | 2,865 | 50.90 |
| | Reform | Thomas Coates | 2,717 | 48.27 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 46 | 0.81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 148 | 2.62 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,628 | |

### 1913 by-election, first ballot

1913 Grey by-election: First ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Henry Michel | 2,189 | 34.64 |
| | Social Democrat | Paddy Webb | 2,091 | 33.09 |
| | Liberal | Michael Hannan | 2,039 | 32.27 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,319 | |

### 1913 by-election, second ballot

1913 Grey by-election: Second ballot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Social Democrat | Paddy Webb | 3,477 | 55.30 |
| | Reform | Henry Michel | 2,811 | 44.70 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 666 | 10.60 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,288 | |
| | Social Democrat gain from Liberal | Social Democrat gain from Liberal | Swing | |

### 1899 election

1899 general election: Grey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Arthur Guinness | 2,660 | 58.67 |
| | Conservative | Michael Hannan | 1,874 | 41.33 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 786 | 17.34 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,534 | 79.22 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,723 | |

### 1893 election

1893 general election: Grey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Arthur Guinness | 2,434 | 70.55 | +20.12 |
| | Independent | Richard Nancarrow | 711 | 20.61 | |
| | Liberal | R. F. Bell | 305 | 8.84 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,723 | 49.94 | +48.63 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,450 | 74.47 | +6.90 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,633 | | |

### 1890 election

1890 general election: Grey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal | Arthur Guinness | 1,109 | 50.43 |
| | Liberal–Labour | William Hugh Jones | 1,090 | 49.57 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 1.31 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,199 | 67.57 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 3,254 | |

### 1884 election

1884 general election: Greymouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Arthur Guinness | 848 | 58.16 |
| | Independent | Joseph Petrie | 610 | 41.84 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 238 | 16.32 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,458 | 84.47 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 1,726 | |