1894 Hartley colonial by-election
# 1894 Hartley colonial by-election

A by-election for the seat of Hartley in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly was held on 14 August 1894 because Joseph Cook had been appointed Postmaster General in the Reid ministry. Such ministerial by-elections were usually uncontested and four ministers were re-elected unopposed, James Brunker (East Maitland), Joseph Carruthers (St George), Jacob Garrard (Sherbrooke) and James Young (The Manning). A poll was required in Bathurst (Sydney Smith), Hartley, Singleton (Albert Gould) and Sydney-King (George Reid) however all were comfortably re-elected.

## Background

Cook was one of 35 Labor members elected at the 1891 New South Wales colonial election and was the leader of the Parliamentary Labour Party from 1893. The party was divided on the question of free trade or protectionism, with Cook on the side of free trade, but increasingly at odds with the party. The party decided that members must sign a "pledge" to be bound by decisions of the Caucus and Cook was the leader of those parliamentarians who refused to sign, contesting the 1894 election as an Independent Labor candidate. Cook's decision, immediately after the election, to join the Free Trade ministry under George Reid was seen as an opportunistic act which saw Cook labeled as a class traitor.

## Dates

| Date | Event |
| - | - |
| 17 July 1894 | 1894 New South Wales colonial election |
| 3 August 1894 | Reid ministry appointed. |
| 4 August 1894 | Writ of election issued by the Governor. |
| 10 August 1894 | Day of nomination |
| 14 August 1894 | Polling day |
| 24 August 1894 | Return of writ |

## Result

1894 Hartley by-election Tuesday 14 August :

| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| - | - | - | - | - |
| | Free Trade | Joseph Cook (re-elected) | 942 | 83.8 |
| | Labor | James Thomson | 182 | 16.2 |
| Total formal votes | Total formal votes | Total formal votes | 1,124 | 99.5 |
| Informal votes | Informal votes | Informal votes | 6 | 0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,130 | 55.6 |
| | Member changed to Free Trade from Independent Labor | Member changed to Free Trade from Independent Labor | | |
