# 15th New Zealand Parliament

The 15th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the New Zealand Parliament. It was elected at the 1902 general election in November and December of that year.

## 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

## 1902 general election

The 1902 general election was held on Tuesday, 25 November in the general electorates and on Monday, 22 December in the Māori electorates, respectively. A total of 80 MPs were elected; 38 represented North Island electorates, 38 represented South Island electorates, and the remaining four represented Māori electorates. 415,789 voters were enrolled and the official turnout at the election was 76.7%.

## Sessions

The 15th Parliament sat for three sessions, and was prorogued on 15 November 1905.
| Session | Opened | Adjourned |
| first | 29 June 1903 | 24 November 1903 |
| second | 28 June 1904 | 8 November 1904 |
| third | 27 June 1905 | 31 October 1905 |

## Ministries

The Liberal Government of New Zealand had taken office on 24 January 1891. The Seddon Ministry under Richard Seddon had taken office in 1893 during the term of the 11th Parliament. The Seddon Ministry remained in power for the whole term of this Parliament and held power until Seddon's death on 10 June 1906.

## Party composition
### Start of term

| Party | Party | Seats |
| | Liberal || 47 |
| | Conservative || 19 |
| | Independent || 10 |
| | Other | 4 |
| Source |||

## Initial composition of the 15th Parliament

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 |

## Changes during 15th Parliament

There were a number of changes during the term of the 15th Parliament.

### By-elections

| Electorate and by-election | Electorate and by-election | Date | Incumbent | Incumbent | Cause | Winner | Winner |
| Pahiatua | 1904 | 28 July | | John O'Meara | Death | | Bill Hawkins |
| City of Wellington | 1905 | 6 April | | George Fisher | Death | | Frank Fisher |

### Defections

| Name | Year | Seat | From | To |
| Alfred Harding | 1905 | Kaipara | Conservative | New Liberal |
| Francis Fisher | 1905 | City of Wellington | Independent Liberal | New Liberal |
| George Laurenson | 1905 | Lyttelton | Liberal | New Liberal |
| Harry Bedford | 1905 | City of Dunedin | Independent Liberal | New Liberal |
| Tommy Taylor | 1905 | City of Christchurch | Independent Liberal | New Liberal |