1898 New South Wales colonial election

The 1898 New South Wales colonial election was held on 27 July 1898 for all of the 125 seats in the 18th New South Wales Legislative Assembly and it was conducted in single-member constituencies with a first past the post voting system. Section 23 (1) of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act of 1893 conferred a right to vote on 'every male person, being a natural born [British] subject, who shall have resided or had his principal place of abode in New South Wales for a continuous period of one year'. The 18th parliament of New South Wales was dissolved on 8 July 1898 by the Governor, Lord Hampden, on the advice of the Premier, George Reid.[1][2]

1898 New South Wales colonial election

← 189527 July 1898 (1898-07-27)1901 →

All 125 seats in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly
63 Assembly seats were needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
LeaderWilliam LyneGeorge ReidJames McGowen
PartyNational FederalFree TradeLabor Electoral League
Leader since1895September 1891August 1894
Leader's seatHumeSydney-KingRedfern
Last election42 seats58 seats18 seats
Seats won52 seats45 seats19 seats
Seat changeIncrease10Decrease13Increase1
Percentage43.03%32.8912.18%
SwingIncrease9.60Decrease4.26Decrease1.02

Results of the election, showing the winning vote share of the elected member.

Premier before election

George Reid
Free Trade

Elected Premier

George Reid
Free Trade

The Protectionist Party, the main Opposition, contested this election under the name "National Federal Party", reflecting the party's focus on Federation as an issue at the election.

Key dates

DateEvent
8 July 1898The Legislative Assembly was dissolved, and writs were issued by the Governor to proceed with an election.
18 – 22 July 1898Nominations for candidates for the election closed at noon.
27 July 1898Polling day.
16 August 1898Opening of 18th Parliament.

Results

New South Wales colonial election, 27 July 1898 [3]
Legislative Assembly
<< 18951901 >>

Enrolled voters301,989
Votes cast176,998Turnout58.61−1.31
Informal votes1,638Informal0.92+0.04
Summary of votes by party
PartyPrimary votes%SwingSeatsChange
 National Federal76,16143.03+9.6052+10
 Free Trade58,21432.89−4.2645−13
 Labour21,55612.18−1.0219+1
 Independent Federalist12,4437.03+2.714+2
 Independent5,2902.99−0.384+4
 Ind. Free Trade3,3251.88−5.441−3
 Independent Labour90.01−1.210−1
Total176,998  125 
Popular vote
Nat. Federal
43.03%
Free Trade
32.89%
Labor
12.18%
Ind. Federalist
7.03%
Independent
2.99%
Ind. Free Trade
1.88%
Ind. Labor
0.01%
Parliamentary seats
Nat. Federal
52
Free Trade
45
Labor
19
Ind. Federalist
4
Independent
4
Ind. Free Trade
1

Retiring members

Changing seats

Seats changing hands [a]
Seat18951898
PartyMemberPartyMember
Albury Free TradeRichard Ball National FederalThomas Griffith
Armidale Free TradeEdmund Lonsdale National FederalCharles Wilson
Ashfield Free TradeThomas Bavister National FederalBernhard Wise
Bathurst Free TradeSydney Smith National FederalFrancis Suttor
Bourke Free TradeEdward Millen National FederalWilliam Davis
Burwood Free TradeWilliam McMillan Ind. Free TradeWilliam Archer
Camden Free TradeCharles Bull National FederalJohn Kidd
Cobar National FederalThomas Waddell[b] LabourWilliam Spence
Darlington National FederalWilliam Schey Free TradeThomas Clarke
Durham National FederalHerbert Brown Independent FederalistWalter Bennett
Granville LabourGeorge Smailes[c] Free TradeJohn Nobbs
Grenfell Ind. Free TradeGeorge Greene[c] LabourWilliam Holman
Mudgee Free TradeRobert Jones National FederalEdwin Richards
Narrabri Free TradeCharles Collins[d] LabourHugh Ross
The Nepean National FederalThomas Smith Free TradeSamuel Lees
Northumberland Free TradeHenry Wheeler National FederalRichard Stevenson
Parramatta Free TradeDowell O'Reilly Independent FederalistWilliam Ferris
Petersham Free TradeLlewellyn Jones National FederalJohn Cohen
Ryde Free TradeFrank Farnell Independent FederalistEdward Terry
Sherbrooke Free TradeJacob Garrard National FederalBroughton O'Conor
The Shoalhaven Ind. Free TradePhilip Morton[e] Independent FederalistDavid Davis
Singleton Free TradeAlbert Gould National FederalCharles Dight
Sydney-Bligh Free TradeJames Harvey National FederalPatrick Quinn
Sydney-Fitzroy Ind. Free TradeJohn McElhone[f] Free TradeHenry Chapman
Sydney-Gipps LabourGeorge Black National FederalWilfred Spruson
Tamworth Free TradeAlbert Piddington National FederalWilliam Sawers
Tumut National FederalTravers Jones IndependentRobert Donaldson
The Tweed National FederalJoseph Kelly IndependentRichard Meagher
Members changing party
Seat18951898
PartyMemberPartyMember
Bega Independent FederalistHenry Clarke National FederalHenry Clarke
Paddington Ind. Free TradeJohn Neild Free TradeJohn Neild
Quirindi National FederalRobert Levien IndependentRobert Levien
Raleigh Independent FederalistJohn McLaughlin IndependentJohn McLaughlin
Uralla-Walcha Free TradeWilliam Piddington National FederalWilliam Piddington
Warringah Free TradeDugald Thomson National FederalDugald Thomson
Woronora Independent LabourJohn Nicholson Free TradeJohn Nicholson[g]

Notes

References

See also