George Grey stood for both the City of Auckland West and the Thames electorates in the 1875 general election.
In the two-member Auckland electorate, only Grey and Patrick Dignan were put forward as candidates, and were thus declared elected on 22 December 1875.
[3] The Thames electorate was contested by six candidates, including Julius Vogel (who was Premier in 1875), William Rowe and Charles Featherstone Mitchell.
On election day (6 January 1876), Grey attracted the highest number of votes and unexpectedly, Rowe beat Vogel to second place (Vogel also stood in a second electorate – Wanganui, where he was returned).
[5] With this controversy going on for several months, but being unresolved, Grey advised in mid June 1876 in a series of telegrams that he had chosen to represent Auckland West.
[6] On 8 July, the report of the committee inquiring into Sir George Grey's election for the Thames was read to the House.
[7] On 15 July 1876, Grey announced that he would represent Thames, and he moved that a by-election be held in Auckland West for the seat that he would vacate there.
[12] Edmund Taylor[13] and Alfred Cadman contested the Thames electorate in the 1890 general election.
[15] The resulting 31 July 1893 by-election was unanimously won by James McGowan, and he represented the electorate for many years until his resignation on 6 January 1909, as he was appointed to the Legislative Council.
[1] Key Independent Liberal Reform Labour From 1871 to 1875, Thames was represented by one Member of Parliament.