Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election, 1908
Encyclopedia
The Southern Rhodesia Legislative Council election of April 24, 1908 was the fourth election to the Legislative Council
of Southern Rhodesia
. The Legislative Council had, since 1903, comprised seven members elected by registered voters from four electoral districts; in 1907 the number of members nominated by the British South Africa Company
was reduced from seven to five. The Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
sat on the Legislative Council ex officio. The Resident Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia, James George Fair, also sat on the Legislative Council ex officio but without the right to vote.
* Incumbents
Note: William Harvey Brown was absent for the third and fourth (extraordinary) sessions of the Legislative Council in 1910 and 1911.
During the absence of Clarkson Henry Tredgold from July 3, 1908, Robert McIlwaine (Secretary of the Law Department) stood in for him. Edward Ross Townsend stood down and was replaced by Dr Eric Arthur Nobbs (Director of Agriculture) on April 23, 1909.
Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council
The Southern Rhodesian Legislative Council was the inaugural governing body for the British territory of Southern Rhodesia before its replacement by the Southern Rhodesian Legislative Assembly in 1923....
of Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia
Southern Rhodesia was the name of the British colony situated north of the Limpopo River and the Union of South Africa. From its independence in 1965 until its extinction in 1980, it was known as Rhodesia...
. The Legislative Council had, since 1903, comprised seven members elected by registered voters from four electoral districts; in 1907 the number of members nominated by the British South Africa Company
British South Africa Company
The British South Africa Company was established by Cecil Rhodes through the amalgamation of the Central Search Association and the Exploring Company Ltd., receiving a royal charter in 1889...
was reduced from seven to five. The Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
Administrator of Southern Rhodesia
The Administrator of Southern Rhodesia was a post within the British Empire which existed from 1890 to 1923 at the time when Southern Rhodesia was governed by the British South Africa Company...
sat on the Legislative Council ex officio. The Resident Commissioner of Southern Rhodesia, James George Fair, also sat on the Legislative Council ex officio but without the right to vote.
Results
| Constituency Electorate and turnout |
Candidate | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| EASTERN 491 |
Francis Rudolph Myburgh* | unopposed |
| MIDLAND | Herbert Thomas Longden* | 198 |
| Herman Melville Heyman | 196 | |
| NORTHERN Two members 1,676 (47.8%) |
Raleigh Grey Raleigh Grey Sir Raleigh Grey KBE CMG CVO was a pioneer British coloniser of Southern Rhodesia who played an important part in the early government of the colony.-Early career:... * |
449 |
| William Harvey Brown | 412 | |
| John Arnold Edmonds | 351 | |
| WESTERN Three members 1,180 (50.9%) |
Robert Alexander Fletcher | 714 |
| Gordon Stewart Drummond Forbes* | 696 | |
| Charles Patrick John Coghlan Charles Patrick John Coghlan Sir Charles Patrick John Coghlan was the first Premier of Southern Rhodesia and held office from October 1, 1923 until his death on August 28, 1927.... |
671 | |
| George Mitchell George Mitchell (Rhodesia) George Mitchell served as Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia from July to September 1933. Born in the United Kingdom, he emigrated to South Africa in 1889, and moved to Matabeleland six years later to work as the manager of the Bank of Africa branch in Bulawayo... |
597 |
Note: William Harvey Brown was absent for the third and fourth (extraordinary) sessions of the Legislative Council in 1910 and 1911.
Nominated members
The members nominated by the British South Africa Company were:- Clarkson Henry Tredgold, Attorney-General
- Edward Ross Townsend, Secretary for Agriculture
- James Hutchison Kennedy, Master of the High Court
- Ernest William Sanders Montagu, Secretary for Mines and Works
- Francis James Newton CMGOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, Treasurer
During the absence of Clarkson Henry Tredgold from July 3, 1908, Robert McIlwaine (Secretary of the Law Department) stood in for him. Edward Ross Townsend stood down and was replaced by Dr Eric Arthur Nobbs (Director of Agriculture) on April 23, 1909.