The election, held on 20 December, was won by James Gapes, who beat fellow city councillor Charles Thomas Ick.

The returning officer, Edward Bishop, thus declared Hobbs elected unopposed on 17 December 1875.

This was regretted by one of the local newspapers, The Star, as they regarded him as having "discharged his duties with a thoroughness and zeal which will not be readily equalled by his successor.

[3] From December 1876 onwards, Leslie Lee acted as returning officer for mayoral elections for many years.

[13] Gapes won the election,[14] and was sworn in as mayor at the next Christchurch City Council meeting on 2 January 1877.