Clutha (New Zealand electorate)

Clutha was a New Zealand parliamentary electorate from 1866 to 1996.

In the 1865 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives focussed its review of electorates to South Island electorates only, as the Central Otago Gold Rush had caused significant population growth, and a redistribution of the existing population. Fifteen additional South Island electorates were created, including Clutha, and the number of Members of Parliament was increased by 13 to 70.

This electorate covered South Otago and contained the settlements of Balclutha, Kaitangata, and Owaka.

The electorate was established in 1865 for the 1866 election. The first representative was James Macandrew, who had served on all previous parliaments. At the 1871 election, Macandrew successfully stood in the Port Chalmers, and Clutha was won by James Thomson. In the 1887 election, Thomson was defeated by Thomas Mackenzie. Mackenzie retired from Parliament at the end of the third term for Clutha in 1996.

The 1896 election was won by James Thomson, who thus started his second period of service. Thomson retired after three terms in 1905, and this was also the end of his political career.

In the 1996 election, the first MMP election, the electorate was combined with the adjacent Wallace electorate into the Clutha-Southland electorate.

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