Varney Parkes Free Trade Varney Parkes Free Trade The 1895 Canterbury colonial by-election was held on 11 June 1895 to elect the member for Canterbury in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, following the resignation of Free Trade Party MP Varney Parkes.

[1][2] Under the Constitution of New South Wales, if a sitting member "becomes bankrupt or takes the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors" they are disqualified from sitting in parliament.

[3][4] Parkes became bankrupt because of business failings and mortgage foreclosures, having owed a large sum of money to the Bank of New South Wales (most of it as guarantee for his father, Sir Henry Parkes).

[5][6] Parkes was the only candidate to contest, and he was declared elected at the close of candidate nominations.

[7][8] He was again re-elected one month later at the New South Wales colonial election on 24 July 1895.