1901 Auckland City mayoral election

The 1901 Auckland City mayoral election was part of the New Zealand local elections held that same year. Elections were held for the Mayor of Auckland on 24 April 1901. The previous mayor, David Goldie, was held in high regard by both the city councillors and the voters but he did not contest the poll; as a temperance advocate, he did not want to toast the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York who were to visit in June 1901 with alcohol. John Logan Campbell, who had become regarded as the Father of Auckland, was asked to represent the city. Campbell agreed on the proviso that he would only take on representative functions, with most mayoral tasks taken on by a deputy, and resign after the royal visit. Against general expectation, the mayoralty was contested by a brewer—Daniel Arkell—who had never held any public roles. Campbell won the election with nearly 80% of the votes, with senior city councillor Alfred Kidd deputising for him. Upon Campbell's resignation in July 1901, Kidd was elected the next mayor by his fellow city councillors.

1901 Auckland City mayoral election
24 April 1901
 
Candidate John Logan Campbell Daniel Arkell
Party Independent Independent
Popular vote 3,517 895
Percentage 79.71 20.29
Mayor before election

David Goldie

 Elected Mayor

John Logan Campbell

Background
Cartoons published by The New Zealand Observer on 23 March 1901

David Goldie had been a popular mayor since 1898, getting re-elected without opposition in 1899 and 1900. Goldie was a teetotaller and when it became known that the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York would come for a royal visit, he retired at the April 1901 election as he did not want to toast the visiting royals with alcohol.[1] There was a strong groundswell of opinion that the city's mayoralty should be held by someone of high status for the occasion of the royal visit, and a requisition was put to John Logan Campbell on 11 March.[2] Campbell had lived in Auckland since 1840 and was thus the longest-lived resident of the city; he had become known as the Father of Auckland.[3][4] Campbell was nominated by the outgoing mayor, Goldie, and by George Fowlds, MHR for City of Auckland.[5]

It had been hoped that Campbell would be declared elected unopposed.[6] Joseph Witheford, MHR for the City of Auckland electorate, received a requisition on 14 March signed by 600 citizens. He considered the situation for half a day and then announced that Campbell should be mayor during the time of the royal visit.[7] By advertisement in The New Zealand Herald on 4 April, brewer Daniel Arkell announced himself as a mayoral candidate.[8] The New Zealand Herald was a strong supporter of Campbell and they dedicated just three lines to Arkell on 4 April,[9] and then mentioned him next when they reported on the nominations on 12 April.[10] The first discussion of Arknell by The Herald was in an opinion piece on 17 April, where his candidacy was described as "something approaching an absurdity".[11] On the same day, the Auckland Star ran its first story on Arkell, as he had been approached by a deputation urging him to withdraw from the contest; Arkell had rebuffed the deputation.[12] On the same day, the Auckland Star described Arkell's candidacy as "in questionable taste".[13] Campbell responded to the situation by that he was happy to contest the election, but that he would not undertake any campaigning whatsoever, and that he wished that nobody campaigned on his behalf. He declared that should he be elected, "it will be by the spontaneous voice of the community".[14]

Mayoral results
Cartoon by New Zealand Graphic – Arkell being crushed by the ballot box

The mayoral election was held across all wards: East, North, South, Ponsonby, and Grafton.[15] The polling was conducted using the standard first-past-the-post voting method. As expected, Campbell won by a large margin.

1901 Auckland mayoral election[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent John Logan Campbell 3,517 79.71
Independent Daniel Arkell 895 20.29
Informal votes 29 0.65
Majority 2,622 59.43
Turnout 4.441 62.86
Registered electors 7,065[17]

Campbell was installed by Goldie as the outgoing mayor on 8 May 1901.[18] As Campbell had indicated that, due to his age (he was 83 at the time), he wanted to concentrate on the representative functions of the office, and only serve until the royal visit. Campbell suggested that councillor Alfred Kidd should be appointed as deputy mayor; Kidd had deputised for Goldie at times.[19][20] When it came to formalise this arrangement, it was found that a deputy mayor could only deputise during the mayor's absence or illness; Kidd's role was thus described as being associated with the mayor.[21] The royal visit happened in mid-June and Campbell resigned as mayor on 25 July.[22] In accordance with the legislation at the time, it was up to the city councillors to elect a new mayor[23] and on 30 July, Kidd was unanimously elected as the city's next mayor.[24]

Councillor results

For Auckland Council, elections were held in three wards: South (3 positions; 5 candidates), Ponsonby (3 positions; 4 candidates), and Grafton (3 positions; 5 candidates).[15] In the North and East wards, there were three candidates in each ward, which matched the number of positions available, and these candidates were therefore declared elected unopposed.[25] In total, 15 positions were available and 20 candidates stood in the various wards.

1905 Auckland local election[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Albert Glover[lower-alpha 1] 1,343
Independent John Thomas Julian[lower-alpha 1] 1,081
Independent James Parr[lower-alpha 2] 897
Independent James Stichbury[lower-alpha 2] 842
Independent John Patterson[lower-alpha 3] 813
Independent John Court[lower-alpha 2] 802
Independent Henry Thomas Garratt[lower-alpha 3] 711
Independent John William Hewson[lower-alpha 3] 620
Independent Arthur Rosser[lower-alpha 1] 572
Independent Peter Dignan[lower-alpha 4] n/a
Independent John Henry Hannan[lower-alpha 4] n/a
Independent Thomas Taylor Masefield[lower-alpha 4] n/a
Independent Frederick Baume[lower-alpha 5] n/a
Independent Charles Grey[lower-alpha 5] n/a
Independent Alfred Kidd[lower-alpha 5] n/a
Independent James Jamieson[lower-alpha 6] 591
Independent Robert Tudehope[lower-alpha 7] 567
Independent Robert Farrell[lower-alpha 7] 560
Independent Maurice Casey[lower-alpha 6] 537
Independent Joseph Beecroft[lower-alpha 8] 318

Kidd's election as mayor caused a vacancy. A by-election held in the Grafton ward on 21 August 1901 returned John McLeod as the new city councillor.[27]

Footnotes
  1. Elected in the South ward
  2. Elected in the Ponsonby ward
  3. Elected in the Grafton ward
  4. Returned unopposed in the North ward
  5. Returned unopposed in the East ward
  6. Unsuccessful in the Grafton ward
  7. Unsuccessful in the South ward
  8. Unsuccessful in the Ponsonby ward

See also

References
  1. "Presentation to the mayor". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11631). 19 April 1901. p. 3. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  2. "The mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (1159). 12 March 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  3. Stone, R. C. J. "Campbell, John Logan – Biography". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  4. "The mayoralty". Auckland Star. XXXII (59). 11 March 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  5. "Local and general news". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11624). 11 April 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  6. "The New Zealand Herald and Daily Southern Cross". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11634). 23 April 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  7. "The mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11601). 15 March 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  8. "Electoral". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11618). 4 April 1901. p. 8. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  9. "Untitled". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11618). 4 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  10. "The coming municipal elections". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11625). 12 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  11. "The mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11629). 17 April 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  12. "Mr Arkell and the mayoralty". Auckland Star. XXXII (90). 17 April 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  13. "The mayoralty". Auckland Star. XXXII (90). 17 April 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  14. "The coming municipal elections". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11630). 18 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  15. "The municipal elections". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11635). 24 April 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  16. "The city mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11636). 25 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  17. "The New Zealand Herald and Daily Southern Cross". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11636). 25 April 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  18. "Mayoral installations". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11648). 9 May 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  19. "East ward". Observer. XXI (1166). 4 May 1901. p. 18. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  20. "The mayoral installation". Auckland Star. XXXII (108). 8 May 1901. p. 2. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  21. "Dr. Campbell's mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11655). 17 May 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  22. "Auckland mayoralty". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11716). 26 July 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  23. "The New Zealand Herald and Daily Southern Cross". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11716). 26 July 1901. p. 4. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  24. "The mayoralty". Auckland Star. XXXII (169). 30 July 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  25. "The nominations: City". Auckland Star. XXXII (89). 16 April 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  26. "City Council election". XXXVIII (11636). The New Zealand Herald. 25 April 1901. p. 6. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
  27. "East ward election". The New Zealand Herald. XXXVIII (11739). 22 August 1901. p. 5. Retrieved 21 November 2020.
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