# 1902 New Zealand general election

The 1902 New Zealand general election was held on Tuesday, 25 November, in the general electorates, and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 15th session of the New Zealand Parliament. A total number of 415,789 (76.7%) voters turned out to vote.
The Rev Frank Isitt was nominated as the Prohibitionist candidate for ten separate electorates, and came second in eight. Another candidate, David Whyte, was nominated for two. Both men stood to ensure that a local liquor licensing poll was held in each electorate for which they were nominated.

## 1902 electoral redistribution

The Representation Act 1900 had increased the membership of the House of Representatives from general electorates 70 to 76, and this was implemented through the 1902 electoral redistribution. In 1902, changes to the country quota affected the three-member electorates in the four main centres. The tolerance between electorates was increased to ±1,250 so that the Representation Commissions (since 1896, there had been separate commissions for the North and South Islands) could take greater account of communities of interest. These changes proved very disruptive to existing boundaries. Six electorates were established for the first time: Courtenay, Newtown, Grey Lynn , Hurunui, Oroua, and Kaipara. Two electorates that previously existed were re-established: Mount Ida and Hutt.
This boundary redistribution resulted in the abolition of three electorates:
* Ashley, held by Richard Meredith
* Suburbs of Wellington, held by Thomas Wilford
* Waihemo, held by Thomas Mackenzie

## Results

Frank Isitt, a Methodist minister, stood in ten seats as a Prohibition candidate, and came second in eight.

### Party totals

The following table gives party strengths and vote distribution according to Wilson (1985), who records Maori representatives as Independents prior to the 1905 election.
Election results :
| Party | Candidates | Total votes | Percentage | Seats won | Change |
| Liberal | 105 | 215,378 | 51.8 | 47 | -2 |
| Conservative | 53 | 85,652 | 20.6 | 19 | ±0 |
| Independent | 54 | 115,173 | 27.7 | 14 | +8 |

### Votes summary

Popular Vote
Liberal
51.8%
Conservative
20.6%
Independents
27.7% :
Parliament seats
Liberal
58.75%
Conservative
23.75%
Independents
17.50% :

## Electorate results

The following are the results of the 1902 general election:
Key
Liberal  Conservative  Independent Liberal  Liberal–Labour  Independent
Electorate results for the 1902 New Zealand general election :
| Electorate | Incumbent | Incumbent | Winner | Winner | Majority | Runner up |
| General electorates ||||||||
| Ashburton | | John McLachlan | John McLachlan | John McLachlan | 439 | John Studholme |
| Auckland, City of | | William Joseph Napier | | Alfred Kidd | 934 | William Richardson |
| Auckland, City of | | Joseph Witheford | Joseph Witheford | Joseph Witheford | 1,515 | William Joseph Napier |
| Auckland, City of | | George Fowlds | | Frederick Baume | 2,282 | Arthur Rosser |
| Avon | | William Tanner | William Tanner | William Tanner | 58 | John Russell Brunt |
| Awarua | | Joseph Ward | Joseph Ward | Joseph Ward | 1,882 | David Whyte |
| Bay of Islands | | Robert Houston | Robert Houston | Robert Houston | 410 | A G C Glass |
| Bay of Plenty | | William Herries | William Herries | William Herries | 626 | D Lundon |
| Bruce | | James Allen | James Allen | James Allen | 1,113 | J A Scott |
| Buller | | James Colvin | James Colvin | James Colvin | 2,601 | Frank Isitt |
| Caversham | | Thomas Sidey | Thomas Sidey | Thomas Sidey | 444 | William Earnshaw |
| Chalmers | New electorate | New electorate | | Edmund Allen | 612 | John White |
| Christchurch, City of | | George John Smith | | Tommy Taylor | 899 | William Whitehouse Collins |
| Christchurch, City of | | Harry Ell | Harry Ell | Harry Ell | 901 | George John Smith |
| Christchurch, City of | | William Whitehouse Collins | | Thomas Davey | 2,233 | Arthur Hughes Turnbull |
| Clutha | | James William Thomson | James William Thomson | James William Thomson | 640 | Daniel Stewart |
| Courtenay | New electorate | New electorate | | Charles Lewis | 350 | John Rennie |
| Dunedin, City of | | Alfred Richard Barclay | | Harry Bedford | 1,321 | Alfred Richard Barclay |
| Dunedin, City of | | John A. Millar | John A. Millar | John A. Millar | | 1,321 | Alfred Richard Barclay |
| Dunedin, City of | | John A. Millar | John A. Millar | John A. Millar | 3,775 | R Chisholm |
| Dunedin, City of | | James Arnold | James Arnold | James Arnold | | 3,775 | R Chisholm |
| Eden | | John Bollard | John Bollard | John Bollard | 1,628 | P E Cheal |
| Egmont | | Walter Symes | | William Thomas Jennings | 15 | Charles Leech |
| Ellesmere | | Heaton Rhodes | Heaton Rhodes | Heaton Rhodes | 501 | C R Thornton |
| Franklin | | William Massey | William Massey | William Massey | 1,176 | Alfred Richard Harris |
| Geraldine | | Frederick Flatman | Frederick Flatman | Frederick Flatman | 972 | William Maslin |
| Grey | | Arthur Guinness | Arthur Guinness | Arthur Guinness | 2,145 | Frank Isitt |
| Grey Lynn | New electorate | New electorate | | George Fowlds | 118 | T T Masefield |
| Hawera | | Felix McGuire | | Charles E. Major | 21 | Felix McGuire |
| Hawke's Bay | | William Russell | William Russell | William Russell | 1,443 | Frank Isitt |
| Hurunui | New electorate | New electorate | | Andrew Rutherford | 697 | Henry Fear Reece |
| Hutt | New electorate | New electorate | | Thomas Wilford | 441 | Frederick Pirani |
| Invercargill | | Josiah Hanan | Josiah Hanan | Josiah Hanan | 1,508 | David Whyte |
| Kaiapoi | | David Buddo | David Buddo | David Buddo | 1,256 | Alfred Daniel Hassall |
| Kaipara | New electorate | New electorate | | Alfred Harding | 359 | John Stallworthy |
| Lyttelton | | George Laurenson | George Laurenson | George Laurenson | 2,172 | William Rollitt |
| Manawatu | | John Stevens | | Job Vile | 176 | John Stevens |
| Manukau | | Sir Maurice O'Rorke | | Matthew Kirkbride | 227 | Sir Maurice O'Rorke |
| Marsden | | Robert Thompson | | Francis Mander | 58 | Robert Thompson |
| Masterton | | Alexander Hogg | Alexander Hogg | Alexander Hogg | 948 | J C Cooper |
| Mataura | | Robert McNab | Robert McNab | Robert McNab | 438 | J W Raymond |
| Motueka | | Roderick McKenzie | Roderick McKenzie | Roderick McKenzie | 1,838 | Frank Isitt |
| Mount Ida | New electorate | New electorate | | Alexander Herdman | 131 | John Ewing |
| Napier | | Alfred Fraser | Alfred Fraser | Alfred Fraser | 1,490 | Richard Joseph Eames |
| Nelson | | John Graham | John Graham | John Graham | 14 | Harry Atmore |
| Newtown | New electorate | New electorate | | William Henry Peter Barber | 28 | Thomas Hislop |
| Oamaru | | Thomas Young Duncan | Thomas Young Duncan | Thomas Young Duncan | 880 | John Marshall Brown |
| Ohinemuri | | Jackson Palmer | | Edward George Britton Moss | 186 | Jackson Palmer |
| Oroua | New electorate | New electorate | | Frank Lethbridge | 613 | Arthur Henry Tompkins |
| Otaki | | William Hughes Field | William Hughes Field | William Hughes Field | 1,510 | Frank Isitt |
| Pahiatua | | John O'Meara | John O'Meara | John O'Meara | 337 | Samuel Bolton |
| Palmerston | | Frederick Pirani | | William Thomas Wood | 384 | T R Hodder |
| Parnell | | Frank Lawry | Frank Lawry | Frank Lawry | 124 | John Shera |
| Patea | | Frederick Haselden | | Walter Symes | 451 | Frederick Haselden |
| Rangitikei | | Frank Lethbridge | | Arthur Remington | 247 | W J Birch |
| Riccarton | | George Warren Russell | | George Witty | 285 | George Warren Russell |
| Selwyn | | Charles Hardy | Charles Hardy | Charles Hardy | 543 | Joseph Ivess |
| Taieri | | Walter Carncross | | Donald Reid | 354 | J J Ramsay |
| Taranaki | | Edward Smith | Edward Smith | Edward Smith | 314 | Henry Okey |
| Thames | | James McGowan | James McGowan | James McGowan | 885 | William Henry Lucas |
| Timaru | | William Hall-Jones | William Hall-Jones | William Hall-Jones | 1,651 | Frank Smith |
| Tuapeka | | James Bennet | James Bennet | James Bennet | 66 | Robert Gilkison |
| Waipawa | | Charles Hall | Charles Hall | Charles Hall | 1,568 | James Taylor |
| Waikato | | Frederic Lang | Frederic Lang | Frederic Lang | 225 | Henry Greenslade |
| Waikouaiti | | Edmund Allen | | Thomas Mackenzie | 1,846 | Frank Isitt |
| Wairarapa | | J. T. Marryat Hornsby | | Walter Clarke Buchanan | 66 | J. T. Marryat Hornsby |
| Wairau | | Charles H. Mills | Charles H. Mills | Charles H. Mills | 411 | John Duncan |
| Waitaki | | William Steward | William Steward | William Steward | 592 | John Campbell |
| Waitemata | | Richard Monk | | Ewen Alison | 714 | Alexander John Hatfield |
| Waiapu | | James Carroll | James Carroll | James Carroll | 1,670 | Frank Isitt |
| Wakatipu | | William Fraser | William Fraser | William Fraser | 449 | Robert Beatson Ross |
| Wallace | | Michael Gilfedder | | John Thomson | 793 | Michael Gilfedder |
| Wanganui | | Archibald Willis | Archibald Willis | Archibald Willis | 1,438 | J W Baker |
| Wellington, City of | | John Hutcheson | | John Aitken | 380 | Patrick O'Regan |
| Wellington, City of | | Arthur Atkinson | | John Duthie | 591 | Arthur Atkinson |
| Wellington, City of | | George Fisher | George Fisher | George Fisher | 1,921 | John Findlay |
| Westland | | Richard Seddon | Richard Seddon | Richard Seddon | 2,696 | Frank Isitt |
| Māori electorates ||||||||
| Eastern Maori | | Wi Pere | Wi Pere | Wi Pere | 614 | Pirimi Mataiawhea |
| Northern Maori | | Hone Heke | Hone Heke | Hone Heke | 1,546 | Hāmiora Mangakāhia |
| Southern Maori | | Tame Parata | Tame Parata | Tame Parata | 80 | Hone Taare Tikao |
| Western Maori | | Henare Kaihau | Henare Kaihau | Henare Kaihau | 2,370 | Ngarangi Katitia |