BY-ELECTIONS 1917-19 ==================================================================== DARWIN, Tas 19,300 enrolled, 11,998 (62.2%) voted ==================================================================== Northern Tasmania: Emu Bay, Leven, Queenstown, Zeehan -------------------------------------------------------------------- 30 June 1917, following the death of Charles Howroyd -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 two-party majority: Nationalist over ALP 08.8 -------------------------------------------------------------------- James Hurst ALP 5,285 44.2 (+03.0) Hon William SPENCE Nat 6,665 55.8 (-03.0) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 (00.4%) informal 11,950 05.8 03.0 to ALP -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Spence was member for Darling, NSW, 1901-17. 2. Hurst was Tas MHA for Darwin 1910-12, 1919-26. -------------------------------------------------------------------- William Guthrie Spence (1846-1926): Elected 1901, 1903, 1906, 1910, 1913, 1914. Defeated 1917. Elected 1917 by Spence contested Batman, Victoria, in 1919. -------------------------------------------------------------------- GRAMPIANS, Vic 31,346 enrolled, 20,606 (65.7%) voted ==================================================================== Central Victoria: Daylesford, Maryborough, St Arnaud, Stawell -------------------------------------------------------------------- 27 October 1917, following the death of Hon Dr Charles Salmon -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 two-party majority: Nationalist over ALP 07.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Edmund JOWETT Nat 11,232 54.8 (-02.2) David Russell ALP 9,265 45.2 (+02.2) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 109 (00.5%) informal 20,497 04.8 02.2 to ALP -------------------------------------------------------------------- Edmund Jowett (1858-1936): Elected 1917 By Born: 6 January 1858, Bradford, England. Career: Educated England. Migrated 1876. Large landowner and officeholder in primary producers' organisations. Grandfather of Hon David Fairbairn MP. -------------------------------------------------------------------- FLINDERS, Vic 40,257 enrolled, 22,770 (56.6%) voted ==================================================================== South of Melbourne: Dandenong, Frankston, Korumburra, Wonthaggi -------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 May 1918, following the resignation of Hon Sir William Irvine -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 two-party majority: Nationalist over ALP 11.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Stanley BRUCE Nat 14,445 64.0 (+02.8) John Hall VFU 382 01.7 Gordon Holmes ALP 7,740 34.3 (-04.5) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 203 (00.9%) informal 22,567 14.9 03.7 to Nat -------------------------------------------------------------------- Hall withdrew his candidacy between the close of nominations and polling day. He was Vic MLA for Kara Kara 1917-18. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Stanley Melbourne Bruce (1883-1967): Elected 1918 By Born: 15 April 1883, Melbourne. Career: Educated Melbourne Grammar School and Cambridge University. Barrister 1907. Practised London. Worked in family softgoods business London and Melbourne. Military Service 1914-17, wounded, won MC. Made name as recruiting speaker and supporter of conscription. -------------------------------------------------------------------- SWAN, WA 29,892 enrolled, 19,213 (64.3%) voted ==================================================================== Country Western Australia: Albany, Forrest, Nelson, Williams -------------------------------------------------------------------- 26 October 1918, following the death of Rt Hon Baron Forrest of Bunbury and Forret (Sir John Forrest) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 majority: none (Nationalist unopposed) -------------------------------------------------------------------- Edwin CORBOY ALP 6,540 34.4 William Hedges Nat 5,635 29.6 Basil Murray CP 5,975 31.4 William Watson 884 04.6 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 179 (00.9%) informal 19,034 01.5 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Hedges was Member for Fremantle 1906-13. 2. For Watson, see Fremantle 1922. -------------------------------------------------------------------- Edwin Wilkie Corboy (1897-1950): Elected 1918 By Born: 24 August 1897, Victoria. Career: Educated Perth Boys School. Military Service 1915-17. Clerk. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. This by-election, at which the ALP won a safe Nationalist seat following the intervention of the Country Party, led directly to the introduction of preferential voting. 2. Corboy (at 21 years, two months and two days of age) was and remains the youngest person ever elected to the House of Representatives. -------------------------------------------------------------------- CORANGAMITE, Vic 34,895 enrolled, 25,553 (73.2%) voted ==================================================================== South-west Victoria: Ararat, Camperdown, Colac, Warrnambool -------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 December 1918, following the death of Hon Chester Manifold -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 two-party majority: Nationalist over ALP 10.4 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Francis Coldham 1,174 04.7 William Gibson VFU 6,604 26.4 George Knox Nat 5,737 22.9 (-37.5) Thomas Leaper 895 03.6 James Scullin ALP 10,630 42.5 (+02.9) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 516 (02.0%) informal 25,040 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Coldham was an independent Nationalist candidate. 2. Knox was Vic MLA for Upper Yarra 1927-45, Scoresby 1945-60. 3. Leaper was a Returned Services Nationalist candidate. 4. Scullin was member for Corangamite 1910-13. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 2nd count: Leaper's 895 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Coldham 112 (12.6) 1,286 05.1 Gibson 210 (23.5) 6,814 27.2 Knox 471 (52.8) 6,208 24.8 Scullin 102 (11.4) 10,732 42.9 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 895 25,040 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 3rd count: Coldham's 1,286 voted distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- Gibson 604 (47.0) 7,418 29.6 Knox 647 (50.3) 6,855 27.4 Scullin 35 (02.7) 10,767 43.0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 1,286 25,040 -------------------------------------------------------------------- 4th count: Knox's 6,855 votes distributed -------------------------------------------------------------------- GIBSON 6,678 (97.4) 14,096 56.3 Scullin 177 (02.6) 10,944 43.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- > 6,855 25,040 06.3 04.1 to ALP -------------------------------------------------------------------- The VFU's majority over the ALP is compared with the Nationalist majority over the ALP in 1917. -------------------------------------------------------------------- William Gerrand Gibson (1869-1955): Elected 1918 By Born: 20 May 1869, Gisborne, Victoria. Career: Primary education. Farmer. Prominent Victorian Farmers Union. -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. This by-election was the first occasion on which preferential voting was used for an election to the federal parliament. Had the old system been continued, the ALP would have won. Preferential voting was introduced to prevent this possibility in three-sided contests. 2. Gibson is regarded as the first Country Party member of the House of Representatives. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ECHUCA, Vic 34,704 enrolled, 20,638 (59.5%) voted ==================================================================== Northern Victoria: Echuca, Kyabram, Rochester, Shepparton -------------------------------------------------------------------- 20 September 1919, following the death of Albert Palmer -------------------------------------------------------------------- 1917 two-party majority: Nationalist over ALP 10.7 -------------------------------------------------------------------- William HILL VFU 13,800 68.8 Edwin Purbrick 1,418 07.1 Frederick Purcell Nat 4,848 24.2 (-36.5) -------------------------------------------------------------------- 572 (02.8%) informal 20,066 22.3 e -------------------------------------------------------------------- William Caldwell Hill (1866-1939): Elected 1919 By Born: 14 April 1866, Archdale, Victoria. Career: Educated state schools. Railwayman, station master. Wheat farmer, Chewton. Treasurer, Victorian Farmers Union. --------------------------------------------------------------------