Waimea was a parliamentary electorate

New Zealand electorates

An electorate is a voting district for elections to the Parliament of New Zealand. In informal discussion, electorates are often called seats. The most formal description, electoral district, is rarely seen outside of electoral legislation. Before 1996, all Members of Parliament were directly...

 in the Nelson Province

Nelson Province

The Nelson Province was a province of New Zealand from 1853 until the abolition of provincial government in 1876.-History:The Marlborough Province split away from the Nelson Province on 1 November 1859 because the majority of the income of the Provincial Council came from land sales in the...

 of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

, from 1853 to 1887.

Geographic coverage

Waimea was located in the northern part of the South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

, facing the Tasman Bay

Tasman Bay

Tasman Bay is a large V-shaped bay at the north end of New Zealand's South Island. Located in the centre of the island's northern coast, it stretches along of coastline and is across at its widest point. It is an arm of the Tasman Sea, lying on the western approach to Cook Strait.At the bay's...

. It is the area around the town (and since 1874 city) of Nelson

Nelson, New Zealand

Nelson is a city on the eastern shores of Tasman Bay, and is the economic and cultural centre of the Nelson-Tasman region. Established in 1841, it is the second oldest settled city in New Zealand and the oldest in the South Island....

, but excluded Nelson itself. It includes Wakefield

Wakefield, New Zealand

The small New Zealand community of Wakefield is situated some 25 km south west of Nelson at the top of the South Island.First settled in about 1843, it was originally called Pitfure. However the name was soon changed to Wakefield...

, Brightwater

Brightwater

Brightwater is a town 20 kilometres southwest of Nelson in Tasman district in the South Island of New Zealand. It stands on the banks of the Wairoa River. Brightwater was named by Alfred Saunders, the owner of a local Flax mill situated on the banks of the Wairoa River, after a popular song at the...

, Richmond

Richmond, New Zealand

Richmond, the seat of the Tasman District Council, lies 13 km south of Nelson in the South Island of New Zealand, close to the southern extremity of Tasman Bay...

 and smaller settlements north of Nelson. It was named after the Waimea River

Waimea River, Tasman

The Waimea River is located in the north of the South Island of New Zealand. It is formed from the confluence of the Wairoa River and the Wai-iti River, which meet near Brightwater, The combined waters flow into Tasman Bay to the northwest of Richmond, opposite Rabbit Island....

.

History

Waimea was represented by eleven Members of Parliament.

William Travers, MP for Nelson

Nelson (New Zealand electorate)

Nelson is a New Zealand Parliamentary electorate, returning one Member of Parliament to the New Zealand House of Representatives. From 1853 to 1860, the electorate was called Town of Nelson. From 1860 to 1881, it was City of Nelson...

, and William Cautley

William Cautley

William Oldfield Cautley JP was a New Zealand politician. He served in the 1st New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Waimea electorate. He was elected in the 1853 general election, and Parliament's first session started on 24 May 1854. He resigned on 26 May 1854, and did not serve in...

, MP for Waimea, both resigned on 26 May 1854 – the third day that the new Parliament was sitting. Travers subsequently contested the seat that Cautley had vacated, being elected in the 21 June 1854 Waimea by-election.

Alfred Saunders

Alfred Saunders

Alfred Saunders was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He was elected onto the Nelson Provincial Council representing Waimea South in 1855 and remained a councillor until his election of Superintendent for the Nelson Province from 1865 to 1867. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Waimea...

 was elected on 1 February 1861 and resigned on 31 October 1864. He was succeeded by John George Miles

John George Miles

John George Miles was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1864 to 1866, when he retired.-References:...

, who was elected in the 1864 by-election, which was held on 20 November.

Arthur Robert Oliver

Arthur Robert Oliver

Arthur Robert Oliver was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1866 to 1867, when he resigned.-References:...

 was elected on 23 February 1866 and resigned on 9 January 1867. He was succeeded by Edward Baigent

Edward Baigent

Edward Baigent was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand. He was one of the most successful saw-millers of the region, and his company existed for well over 100 years.-Family:...

, who was elected in the 1867 by-election, which was held on 28 June.

Joseph Shephard

Joseph Shephard

Joseph Shephard was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He unsuccessfully contested the Waimea electorate in the 1867 by-election....

 was elected on 13 February 1871, and re-elected on 8 December 1979, 9 December 1881 and 22 July 1884. He resigned on 15 April 1885 when he was appointed to the Legislative Council. The resulting 1885 by-election, which was held on 3 June, was contested by six candidates: John Kerr

John Kerr (Nelson politician)

John Kerr was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.Following the resignation from Parliament of Joseph Shephard, who had been appointed to the Legislative Council, a Waimea by-election was held on 3 June 1885. It was contested by six candidates: Kerr , W. N. Franklyn ,...

 (253 votes), W. N. Franklyn (250 votes), William White (94 votes), Christian Dencker (91 votes), W. Wastney (59 votes) and Jesse Piper

Jesse Piper

Jesse Piper was a Nelson City Councillor and Mayor.- Early life:Piper was born in 1836 at Hastings, Sussex, England. He went to sea as a youth. On the outbreak of the Crimean War joined the storeship HMS Apollo and sailed to Malta...

 (32 votes). Kerr was thus elected.

1853 to 1860

From 1853 to 1860, Waimea was a two-member electorate.

Election	Winners
1853 election New Zealand general election, 1853 The 1853 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 1st term. It was the first national election ever held in New Zealand, although Parliament did not yet have full authority to govern the colony, which was part of the British Empire at...		David Monro David Monro Sir David Monro was a New Zealand politician. He served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1861 to 1870.-Early life:...		William Cautley William Cautley William Oldfield Cautley JP was a New Zealand politician. He served in the 1st New Zealand Parliament as representative for the Waimea electorate. He was elected in the 1853 general election, and Parliament's first session started on 24 May 1854. He resigned on 26 May 1854, and did not serve in...
1854 by-election				William Travers
1855 New Zealand general election, 1855 The 1855 New Zealand general election was a nationwide vote to determine the shape of the New Zealand Parliament's 2nd term. It was the second national election ever held in New Zealand, and the first one which elected a Parliament that had full authority to govern the colony.-Background:The first...		Charles Elliott
1858 by-election		David Monro
1859 by-election				John Kelling John Kelling John Fedor Augustus Kelling was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1859 to 1860, when he was defeated.He unsuccessfully contested the Waimea electorate in the 1867 by-election....

1861 to 1887

From 1861 to 1887, Waimea was a single-member electorate.

Election	Winner
1861		Alfred Saunders Alfred Saunders Alfred Saunders was a 19th century New Zealand politician.He was elected onto the Nelson Provincial Council representing Waimea South in 1855 and remained a councillor until his election of Superintendent for the Nelson Province from 1865 to 1867. He was elected as Member of Parliament for Waimea...
1864 by-election		John George Miles John George Miles John George Miles was a 19th century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1864 to 1866, when he retired.-References:...
1866 New Zealand general election, 1866 The New Zealand general election of 1866 was held between 12 February and 6 April to elect 70 MPs to the fourth term of the New Zealand Parliament. 13,196 votes were cast....		Arthur Robert Oliver Arthur Robert Oliver Arthur Robert Oliver was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He represented the Waimea electorate from 1866 to 1867, when he resigned.-References:...
1867 by-election		Edward Baigent Edward Baigent Edward Baigent was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand. He was one of the most successful saw-millers of the region, and his company existed for well over 100 years.-Family:...
1871		Joseph Shephard Joseph Shephard Joseph Shephard was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.He unsuccessfully contested the Waimea electorate in the 1867 by-election....
1876		Edward Baigent
1879 New Zealand general election, 1879 The New Zealand general election of 1879 was held between 28 August and 15 September to elect a total of 88 MPs to the 7th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 1 and 8 September. A total number of 82,271 voters turned out to vote.The election came about when George...		Joseph Shephard
1881 New Zealand general election, 1881 The New Zealand general election of 1881 was held 9 December to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 8th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 8 December...
1884 New Zealand general election, 1884 The New Zealand general election of 1884 was held on 22 July to elect a total of 95 MPs to the 9th session of the New Zealand Parliament. The Māori vote was held on 21 July. A total number of 137,686 voters turned out to vote.-References:...
1885 by-election		John Kerr John Kerr (Nelson politician) John Kerr was a 19th century Member of Parliament from Nelson, New Zealand.Following the resignation from Parliament of Joseph Shephard, who had been appointed to the Legislative Council, a Waimea by-election was held on 3 June 1885. It was contested by six candidates: Kerr , W. N. Franklyn ,...