1906 Surry Hills state by-election

A by-election was held for the New South Wales Legislative Assembly electorate of Surry Hills on 21 July 1906 because of the resignation of John Norton (Independent). Norton blamed William Holman for an article in The Worker commenting on Norton's unnatural silence over the land scandals involving Paddy Crick and William Willis.[1][2] Norton made a personal attack on Holman in parliament, challenging him to resign and both would contest Holman's seat of Cootamundra.[1][3]

1906 Surry Hills state by-election
21 July 1906
Electoral district of Surry Hills in the Legislative Assembly of New South Wales
Turnout36.2% (Decrease 20.8%)
  First party Second party
 
LRP
Candidate Albert Bruntnell Dick Meagher
Party Liberal Reform Independent
Popular vote 1,109 961
Percentage 30.5% 26.4%
Swing Decrease 3.8% New
  Third party Fourth party
 
ALP
Candidate Henry Lawton John Norton
Party Labour Independent
Popular vote 888 697
Percentage 24.4% 18.7%
Swing New Decrease 27.1%
MLA before election

John Norton (journalist)
Independent

 Elected MLA

Albert Bruntnell
Liberal Reform

Dates
DateEvent
5 July 1906 John Norton resigned.[4]
6 July 1906 Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and close of electoral rolls.[5]
14 July 1906 Nominations
21 July 1906 Polling day
31 July 1906 Return of writ

Result
1906 Surry Hills by-election
Saturday 21 July [3]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Reform Albert Bruntnell (elected) 1,109 30.5 -3.8
Independent Dick Meagher 961 26.4
Labor Henry Lawton 888 24.4
Independent John Norton (defeated) 679 18.7 -27.1
Independent James Jones 3 0.1
Total formal votes 3,640 98.9 +0.2
Informal votes 40 1.1 -0.2
Turnout 3,680 36.2 [lower-alpha 1] -20.8
Liberal Reform gain from Independent Swing

Aftermath

The Cootamundra by-election was held the following week, however Norton withdrew from the contest. H. V. Evatt argues that the most likely explanation for Norton's attack was to remove Labour's best debater at a critical time.[3][7] Norton returned to parliament at the 1907 election for Darling Harbour.[8]

See also

Notes
  1. Estimate based on an electoral roll of 10,172 at the 1904 election.[6]

References
  1. Cannon, Michael. "Norton, John (1858-1916)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  2. "The silence of John Norton". The Worker. 11 January 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 4 April 2021 – via Trove.
    "Stand up, John Norton". The Worker. 22 February 1906. p. 4. Retrieved 4 April 2021 – via Trove.
    "John Norton goes a-scabbing". The Worker. 17 March 1910. p. 12. Retrieved 4 April 2021 – via Trove.
  3. Green, Antony. "1906 Surry Hills by-election". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
  4. "Mr John Norton (1857-1916)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  5. "Writ of election: Surry Hills". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 189. 6 July 1906. p. 3895. Retrieved 4 April 2021 – via Trove.
  6. Green, Antony. "1904 Surry Hills". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  7. Evatt, H. V. (1954). Australian Labour Leader: The Story of W.A. Holman and the Labour Movement. Angus and Robertson. pp. 131–144. ISBN 0207140413.
  8. Green, Antony. "1907 Darling Harbour". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 4 April 2021.
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