James Balfour Wemyss

James Balfour Wemyss (1828–1909) was a 19th-century Member of Parliament in Nelson, New Zealand.

Political career

Parliament of New Zealand
Years	Term	Electorate		Party
1861	3rd	Suburbs of Nelson		Independent

Fedor Kelling, who had previously represented the Waimea electorate, intended to contest the 1861 election for Suburbs of Nelson. At a meeting with electors in Stoke, it was decided that there is no real difference in political opinion between Kelling and Wemyss, the other contender for the position. Kelling thus stepped back from the contest.^[1] Wemyss, who was away from the district for the month during the election campaign, had placed a long advertisement in The Colonist outlining his political opinion. This was published on 22 January 1861.^[2] The nomination meeting for the election was held at the school house in Stoke on Monday, 28 January 1861. Wemyss was the only candidate proposed and was thus declared elected unopposed.^[3] The meeting was poorly attended, with "few more there than his proposer and seconder".^[4]

Before the first session of the 3rd Parliament began (on 3 June 1861), Wemyss resigned as he had to leave New Zealand temporarily and was likely to miss the whole session, but he did not want to leave the electorate unrepresented.^[5][6]

References

1. "The Colonist". Colonist IV (340). 22 January 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
2. "Advertisements Column 3". Colonist IV (340). 22 January 1861. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
3. "Suburban Districts". Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle XX. 30 January 1861. p. 3. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
4. "The Colonist". Colonist IV (342). 29 January 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
5. "To the Electors of the Suburbs of Nelson.". Colonist IV (375). 28 May 1861. p. 2. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
6. Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First ed. published 1913]. New Zealand parliamentary record, 1840-1984 (4 ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. p. 245. OCLC 154283103.