Electoral district of Cook and Westmoreland

Cook and Westmoreland was an electoral district of the Legislative Assembly in the Australian state of New South Wales in the first and second Parliaments (1856–1859), named after Cook and Westmoreland counties in the Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon areas. It elected two members simultaneously, with voters casting two votes and the first two candidates being elected.[1][2] It was largely replaced by Hartley,[3] however both members moved to other electorates, James Martin became the member for East Sydney,[1] while Robert Jamison became the member for Nepean.[2]

District of Cook and Westmoreland
New South WalesLegislative Assembly
Cook county in the 1840s
StateNew South Wales
Created1856
Abolished1859
NamesakeCook & Westmoreland counties
Coordinates33°32′S 150°7′E / 33.533°S 150.117°E / -33.533; 150.117
Westmoreland county in the 1840s

Member for Cook and Westmoreland

MemberPartyPeriodMemberPartyPeriod
 James Martin[1]None1856–1859 Robert Jamison[2]None1856–1859

Election results

There was only one contested election held in the district, in the 1856 New South Wales colonial election.[4] James Martin twice resigned in 1856 and 1857 as a result of accepting appointment as Attorney General, however on both occasions he was re-elected unopposed.[5][6]

1856

1856 New South Wales colonial election: Cook and Westmoreland [7]
CandidateVotes%
James Martin (elected 1)32139.5
Robert Jamison (elected 2)30337.3
John Arkins18923.3
Total formal votes813100.0
Informal votes00.0
Turnout48754.4
Polling was conducted on 4 April 1856. Martin represented Counties of Cook and Westmoreland in the old Legislative Council.

1858

1858 New South Wales colonial election:
Cook and Westmoreland 27 January [8]
CandidateVotes%
James Martin (re-elected)unopposed 
Robert Jamison (re-elected)unopposed 

References