# Hawera (New Zealand electorate)

Hawera was a parliamentary electorate in the South Taranaki District of New Zealand from 1896 to 1908. It was represented by two Members of Parliament over the four parliamentary terms of its existence.

## Population centres

In the 1896 electoral redistribution, rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Four electorates that previously existed were re-established, and three electorates were established for the first time, including Hawera. The New Plymouth electorate was abolished, the Egmont electorate shifted north, and the Patea electorate shifted east. This made room for the Taranaki and Hawera electorates. Settlements in the original Hawera electorate were the towns of Hāwera, Manaia, and Eltham.
In the 1902 electoral redistribution, Eltham was lost to the Patea electorate, but Ōpunake was gained from the Taranaki electorate. In the 1907 electoral redistribution, the Hawera electorate was abolished, and its area was distributed to the Patea and Egmont electorates.

## History

Felix McGuire was the electorate's first representative. As an independent conservative, he had previously represented the Egmont electorate since a 1891 by-election after the resignation of Harry Atkinson. In the 1902 election, McGuire was defeated by Charles E. Major of the Liberal Party. McGuire and Major once again contested the Hawera electorate in 1905, and Major remained successful.
The Hawera electorate was abolished at the 1908 election. Major stood in the Patea electorate, but was defeated by the conservative politician George Pearce.

### Members of Parliament

The Hawera electorate was represented by two Members of Parliament:
Key
Conservative Liberal
| Election | Winner |
| 1896 election | Felix McGuire |
| 1899 election | Felix McGuire |
| 1902 election | Charles Major |
| 1905 election | Charles Major |
| (Electorate abolished 1908; see Patea and Egmont) |||

## Election results
### 1905 election

1905 general election: Hawera :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles E. Major | 2,206 | 42.55 | −7.69 |
| | Conservative | Felix McGuire | 1,757 | 33.89 | −15.87 |
| | Independent Liberal | Benjamin Robbins | 1,222 | 23.57 | |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 61 | 1.16 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 449 | 8.66 | +8.19 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,246 | 84.41 | +7.47 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 6,215 | | |

### 1902 election

1902 general election: Hawera :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Charles E. Major | 2,233 | 50.24 | +8.77 |
| | Conservative | Felix McGuire | 2,212 | 49.76 | +6.93 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 21 | 0.47 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,445 | 76.94 | −1.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,777 | | |

### 1899 election

1899 general election: Hawera :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Felix McGuire | 1,740 | 42.83 | +7.89 |
| | Liberal | Charles E. Major | 1,685 | 41.47 | +10.29 |
| | Independent Liberal | David Lyon Astbury | 638 | 15.70 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 1.35 | +0.29 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,063 | 78.26 | −4.16 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,192 | | |

### 1896 election

1896 general election: Hawera :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Felix McGuire | 1,182 | 34.94 |
| | Liberal | Benjamin Robbins | 1,146 | 33.88 |
| | Liberal | Charles E. Major | 1,055 | 31.19 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 1.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,383 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 4,105 | |