The Tauranga by-election of 1923 was a by-election

By-election

A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....

 during the 21st New Zealand Parliament. The seat became vacant due to the death of the sitting Member, William Herries

William Herries

Sir William Herbert Herries KCMG was an English-born New Zealand politician.Herries was born in London, the son of a barrister, and educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Cambridge. At the age of 22 he emigrated to New Zealand and became a farmer near Te Aroha...

. The election was held on 28 March 1923 and won by Charles MacMillan

Charles MacMillan

Charles Edward de la Barca MacMillan was a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He was a cabinet minister in the Liberal-Reform coalition government Charles Edward de la Barca MacMillan (1872–1941) was a Reform Party Member of Parliament in New Zealand. He was a cabinet minister in...

.

Two candidates contested the seat. The other candidate was Sir Joseph Ward

Joseph Ward

Sir Joseph George Ward, 1st Baronet, GCMG was the 17th Prime Minister of New Zealand on two occasions in the early 20th century.-Early life:...

, a former Liberal Prime Minister, thought to be a spent force. But Ward was returned to Parliament again in the 1925 general election

New Zealand general election, 1925

The New Zealand general election of 1925 was held 4 November to elect a total of 80 MPs to the 22nd session of the New Zealand Parliament...

, and became Prime Minister again in 1928. He retired in 1930, and died soon after.