1856 Christchurch Country by-election

New Zealand by-election

14 October 1856 (1856-10-14)

Turnout

311


Candidate	John Ollivier	Crosbie Ward
Party	Independent	Independent
Popular vote	191	120
Percentage	61.4%	38.6%

MP before election

Dingley Askham Brittin
Independent

Elected MP

John Ollivier
Independent

The Christchurch Country by-election 1856 was a by-election held in the multi-member Christchurch Country electorate during the 2nd New Zealand Parliament, on 14 October 1856, and was, along with the Grey and Bell 1856 by-election, the second equal contested by-election in New Zealand political history.

The by-election was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP Dingley Brittin on 7 July 1856.^[1]

The election was won by John Ollivier. On nomination day (13 October) Ollivier and Crosbie Ward were nominated, and after a show of hands in favour of Ollivier, Ward demanded a poll. Ollivier was subsequently elected the following day.^[2]^[3]

Results

1856 Christchurch Country by-election^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	John Ollivier	191	61.4
	Independent	Crosbie Ward	120	38.6
Turnout			311
Majority			71

References

^ Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 185. OCLC 154283103.
^ "Canterbury". Daily Southern Cross. Vol. XIII, no. 978. 11 November 1856. p. 3. Retrieved 1 May 2013.
^ ^a ^b "Local Intelligence". Lyttelton Times. Vol. VI, no. 412. 15 October 1856. p. 7. Retrieved 29 May 2013.