1874 Akaroa by-elections
# 1874 Akaroa by-elections

Following the resignation of Robert Heaton Rhodes from his Akaroa seat in the New Zealand parliament, William Montgomery contested the 20 April 1874 by-election against Walter Pilliet. The results were 168 and 76 votes, respectively, i.e., a margin of 92 for Montgomery. He thus entered parliament during the 5th term.

April 1874 Akaroa by-election :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Independent | William Montgomery | 168 | 68.85 |
| | Independent | Walter Pilliet | 76 | 31.15 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 244 | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 37.70 |

In July 1874, a select committee declared Montgomery's election to be "null and void", as he had a contract for the supply of railway sleepers with the general government in breach of election rules. The select committee accepted that the breach was inadvertent. Montgomery stood for re-election in the second by-election, on 10 August 1874 and was returned unopposed.

