The 1879 City of Auckland West By-Election
The 1879 City of Auckland West by-election took place on 4 March 1879 in the City of Auckland West electorate during the 6th New Zealand Parliament. At that time, it was a two-member electorate.
This by-election was necessitated by the resignation of the sitting member, Patrick Dignan, who had previously represented the electorate. Dignan was known as a Catholic layman and an advocate for denominational education.
In the subsequent election, David Goldie emerged victorious. Goldie was a proponent of secular education, and his win was notably reported as “Another election victory for Secularists.” Similarly, the outcome of the 1879 City of Nelson by-election also saw a candidate described as a Secularist.
Election Result
The results of the election are summarized in the following table:
- Candidate: David Goldie
- Outcome: Elected
- Support for: Secular Education