It was caused by the resignation of incumbent MP Alexander Herdman of the Reform Party, who was appointed as a judge of the Supreme Court, and was won by John Luke with a majority of 420.

[1] Under the terms of the coalition agreement between Reform and the Liberal's a condition was made not to oppose each other in by-elections for deceased or retiring MP's from their own parties.

He lost his temper and thumbed his nose at them before storming off the stage, later re-created in an effective newspaper cartoon.

It was made up of the steady 1500 socialists in the electorate, reinforced by several hundreds of 'trade' voters, hundreds of men who crowded into the boarding houses to comply with the one month's residence qualifications, and a few cravens — men and women who hoped that Mr Holland might retard or stop the sending of reinforcements to the army.

[7]However, the result was more a reflection of the growing disenchantment at the National Government bound with Labour (who refused the coalition) being seen as the only alternative.