The 10th New Zealand Parliament was a term of the Parliament of New Zealand. Elections for this term were held in 4 Māori electorates and 91 European electorates on 7 and 26 September 1887, respectively. A total of 95 MPs were elected. Parliament was prorogued in October 1890. During the term of this Parliament, two Ministries were in power.

Sessions

The 10th Parliament opened on 6 October 1887, following the 1887 general election. It sat for four sessions, and was prorogued on 3 October 1890.

Historical context

The Representation Act 1887 had major implication for the procedure of revising electoral boundaries. The revision task was transferred from committees formed by MPs to a permanent Representation Commission. The act specified that a country quota of 18% be applied to all designated districts that excluded boroughs with a population above 2,000 people, and that all electorates were to have the same nominal population within a tolerance of 750 people. It was also stipulated that electoral boundaries were to be reviewed after each New Zealand census. In the 1887 electoral redistribution, although the Representation Commission was required through the Representation Act 1887 to maintain existing electorates "as far as possible", rapid population growth in the North Island required the transfer of three seats from the South Island to the north. Ten new electorates were created:, , , , , , , ,, and. One former electorate,, was recreated. Political parties had not been established yet; this only happened after the 1890 election. Anyone attempting to form an administration thus had to win support directly from individual MPs. This made first forming, and then retaining a government difficult and challenging.

Ministries

The second Stout-Vogel Ministry had been in power since 3 September 1884 until 8 October 1887, just after the 1887 general election to determine the composition of the 10th Parliament. The fourth Atkinson Ministry, known as the Scarecrow Ministry, lasted for the remainder of the term until 24 January 1891.

Initial composition of the 10th Parliament

95 seats were created across the electorates.

<!-- # Changes during term There were numerous changes during the term of the 5th Parliament. ## Existing electorates Walker resigned in 1867. [Henry Tancred](https://bliptext.com/articles/henry-tancred-new-zealand-politician) won the subsequent [1867 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1867-ashley-by-election). James Williamson resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [Patrick Dignan](https://bliptext.com/articles/patrick-dignan). Ward resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [William Reeves](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-reeves-journalist), who himself resigned in 1868. [William Rolleston](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-rolleston) won the subsequent 1868 by-election. Cargill resigned in 1870 and was succeeded by [James Clark Brown](https://bliptext.com/articles/james-clark-brown). Burns resigned in 1870 and was succeeded by [James McIndoe](https://bliptext.com/articles/james-mcindoe). FitzGerald resigned in 1867 and was succeeded by [William Travers](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-travers-politician), who himself resigned in 1870. [William Sefton Moorhouse](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-sefton-moorhouse) took the seat for the remaining months in 1870. Paterson resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by [Thomas Birch](https://bliptext.com/articles/thomas-birch-new-zealand). Stafford resigned in 1868 and was succeeded by [Nathaniel Edwards](https://bliptext.com/articles/nathaniel-edwards). Richmond resigned in 1868 and was succeeded by [Arthur Shuckburgh Collins](https://bliptext.com/articles/arthur-collins-politician). Beswick resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [John Studholme](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-studholme). Baldwin resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [David Mervyn](https://bliptext.com/articles/david-mervyn). Hull resigned in 1868. He was succeeded by [John Munro](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-munro-new-zealand). Ball resigned in 1870. He was succeeded by [Thomas Gillies](https://bliptext.com/articles/thomas-gillies) on 30 March 1870. Moorhouse was elected in the Mount Herbert electorate on 22 February 1866. He also stood in the [Westland electorate](https://bliptext.com/articles/westland-new-zealand-electorate) and was returned 16 March 1866. He chose to represent Westland. A [by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1866-mount-herbert-by-election) was held on 27 July 1866 and [Thomas Henry Potts](https://bliptext.com/articles/thomas-henry-potts) was returned unopposed. Richardson resigned in 1867 and was succeeded by [Harry Atkinson](https://bliptext.com/articles/harry-atkinson), who himself resigned in 1869. [Thomas Kelly](https://bliptext.com/articles/thomas-kelly-new-zealand-politician) won the [1869 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1869-new-plymouth-by-election). Graham resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by [Robert James Creighton](https://bliptext.com/articles/robert-james-creighton). Henderson resigned in 1867. The 6 July [1867 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1867-northern-division-by-election) was won by [Thomas Macfarlane](https://bliptext.com/articles/thomas-macfarlane). O'Neill resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by [Henry Warner Farnall](https://bliptext.com/articles/henry-warner-farnall). Campbell resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by [Charles Christie Graham](https://bliptext.com/articles/charles-christie-graham). Atkinson resigned in 1867 and was succeeded in 1868 by [Charles Brown](https://bliptext.com/articles/charles-brown-taranaki), who himself resigned in 1870. [Frederic Carrington](https://bliptext.com/articles/frederic-carrington) was the successful candidate in the [1870 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1870-omata-by-election). Whitaker resigned in 1867 and was succeeded by [Charles Heaphy](https://bliptext.com/articles/charles-heaphy). De Quincey resigned in 1867. The 5 August [1867 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1867-pensioner-settlements-by-election) was won by [John Kerr](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-kerr-auckland-politician). A second person, a Mr Jackson, was nominated, but the returning officer would not accept the nomination, as Jackson was not on the electoral roll. Thus, Kerr was declared elected unopposed. Beauchamp resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [William Adams](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-adams-new-zealand), who himself resigned in 1868. [Courtenay Kenny](https://bliptext.com/articles/courtenay-kenny) won the [1868 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1868-picton-by-election). Dick, who was elected on 17 March 1866, resigned on 15 October 1866. He successfully contested the 15 December [1866 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1866-port-chalmers-by-election), but resigned again on 26 April 1867. [David Forsyth Main](https://bliptext.com/articles/david-forsyth-main) successfully contested the [1867 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1867-port-chalmers-by-election). Newman resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [James Farmer](https://bliptext.com/articles/james-farmer-politician). Watt resigned in 1868. He was succeeded by [William Fox](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-fox-new-zealand), who won the [1868 by-election](https://bliptext.com/articles/1868-rangitikei-by-election). Hepburn resigned in 1868. He was succeeded by [Henry Driver](https://bliptext.com/articles/henry-driver). Reid resigned in 1869. He was succeeded by [Henry Howorth](https://bliptext.com/articles/henry-howorth). Cox resigned in 1868. He was succeeded by [Edward Stafford](https://bliptext.com/articles/edward-stafford-politician). Hargreaves resigned in 1868. He was succeeded by [John Thomas Peacock](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-thomas-peacock). Murison resigned in 1868 and was succeeded by [Robert Mitchell](https://bliptext.com/articles/robert-mitchell-new-zealand). Mitchell himself resigned in the following year and was replaced by [Francis Rich](https://bliptext.com/articles/francis-rich). Oliver resigned in 1867. He was succeeded by [Edward Baigent](https://bliptext.com/articles/edward-baigent). McNeil resigned in 1869 and was succeeded by [Cuthbert Cowan](https://bliptext.com/articles/cuthbert-cowan). Cowan himself resigned in the same year he got elected and was replaced by [George Webster](https://bliptext.com/articles/george-webster-new-zealand-politician). The electorate was abolished in 1867. A new electorate (Westland Boroughs) was established, and Moorhouse was transferred to it. ## New electorate [Westland Boroughs](https://bliptext.com/articles/westland-boroughs) was established in 1867, and Moorhouse transferred to it. He resigned in 1868, and [William Henry Harrison](https://bliptext.com/articles/william-henry-harrison-new-zealand) won the resulting by-election. ## Māori electorates The [first elections](https://bliptext.com/articles/first-m-ori-elections) for the new [Māori electorates](https://bliptext.com/articles/m-ori-electorates) were held in 1868. [Tareha te Moananui](https://bliptext.com/articles/tareha-te-moananui) was the first representative for the [Eastern Māori](https://bliptext.com/articles/eastern-m-ori) electorate. [Frederick Nene Russell](https://bliptext.com/articles/frederick-nene-russell) was the first representative for the [Northern Māori](https://bliptext.com/articles/northern-m-ori) electorate. [John Patterson](https://bliptext.com/articles/john-patterson-new-zealand) was the first representative for the [Southern Māori](https://bliptext.com/articles/southern-m-ori) electorate. [Mete Paetahi](https://bliptext.com/articles/mete-paetahi) was the first representative for the [Western Māori](https://bliptext.com/articles/western-m-ori) electorate. -->