2nd New Zealand Parliament - Changes During Term

Changes During Term

The turnover of MPs was very high in the 2nd Parliament, with 32 by-elections and a supplementary election being held. This situation was partly the result of a redistribution of boundaries to seven electorates, and the creation of four new electorates - agreed upon in the Electoral Districts Act, 1858, with the total number of MPs in Parliament rising from 37 to 41, and the number of electorates rising from 24 to 28. The northern portion of the Northern Division electorate and the southern portion of Bay of Islands became the electorate of Marsden, while the Wairarapa and Hawkes Bay electorate was split into its two separate components (with Hawkes Bay also expanding inland into unincorporated areas). The southern portion of Wairau electorate, plus part of Christchurch Country, became the new Cheviot electorate, and the western portion of Dunedin Country became the new Wallace electorate. In addition, the Wanganui and Rangitikei electorate expanded inland into unincorporated areas, leaving the northwest of the South Island as the colony's only territory not part of an electorate. At the opening of the 6th session of the Parliament on 10 April 1858, the speaker read out 14 resignations.