The first representative of the electorate was George Warren Russell, who started his parliamentary career with his 1893 election.
[3] Russell was beaten in the 1896 election by William Rolleston,[4] who had distinguished himself through his contribution to education and his support for Canterbury Museum.
[5] Russell regained the electorate in the 1899 election with a majority of one vote over Rolleston, which brought an end to that political career.
[8] In the 1938 election, Labour's Thomas Herbert Langford came very close to defeating the National incumbent, Bert Kyle.
Key Liberal Conservative Independent Liberal Reform Independent National Labour There were four candidates in 1943, with the election won by Jack Watts over Harold Ernest Denton.