[3][4][2] Electors presented a petition to Robert Reid, asking to allow him to be nominated, but he declined as his business affairs needed his attention.

[5][6] A local newspaper, the West Coast Times, mentioned that whilst Gerard George Fitzgerald was apparently interested, he would stand no chance.

[5] The newspaper was dismissive of Fitzgerald ("would not be likely to meet with general support")[5] and questioned whether the returning officer would even accept his nomination;[7] this referred to his bankruptcy earlier in the year.

[7][9] The following day, the West Coast Times ran the most critical editorial about Fitzgerald:[10] The electors are now asked to return a gentleman to Parliament who is rightly considered unfit for the public service, who was, in fact, if not in name, dismissed for conduct for which there is no excuse.

Does a long experience of questionable company tend to qualify a man to represent a large constituency in Parliament?

Why should he show his contempt for this constituency by offering them his services?The premier at the time, Sir George Grey, was very popular with people on the West Coast.

[16] Richard Seddon, who had contested the 1876 election coming fourth, was noted as not being inclined to run in the by-election.

[16] Because of heavy rain, the nomination meeting was held inside the court, with the returning officer taking the bench.

The third person to be nominated was Croumbie-Brown, but by then, the rain had stopped and the waiting crowd demanded forcefully for the remaining affairs to be held on the hustings.

[24] Croumbie-Brown announced his resignation from the contest after a 22 June meeting held by Thorne George in Kumara in front of an alleged crowd of 1,200 people.

[30] There were four liberal candidates for the two seats in the Hokitika electorate, and Seddon sought and obtained an endorsement from George Grey for his candidacy: "You are worthy; stand yourself.