The 1895 Canterbury colonial by-election was held on 11 June 1895 to elect the member for Canterbury in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Free Trade Party MP Varney Parkes.
Under the Constitution of New South Wales, if a sitting member "becomes bankrupt or takes the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors" they are disqualified from sitting in parliament. Parkes became bankrupt because of business failings and mortgage foreclosures, having owed a large sum of money to the Bank of New South Wales (most of it as guarantee for his father, Sir Henry Parkes).
Parkes was the only candidate to contest, and he was declared elected at the close of candidate nominations. He was again re-elected one month later at the New South Wales colonial election on 24 July 1895.
Key events 3 June 1895 − Varney Parkes resigns 4 June 1895 − Writ of election issued by the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly 5 June 1895 − Varney Parkes declared bankrupt 11 June 1895 − Candidate nominations 14 June 1895 − Polling day (no poll held) 21 June 1895 − Return of writ (scheduled date)
Results
See also Electoral results for the district of Canterbury List of New South Wales state by-elections
Notes
References