Wellington South (New Zealand electorate)

The previous electoral redistribution was undertaken in 1875 for the 1875–1876 election. In the six years since, New Zealand's European population had increased by 65%. In the 1881 electoral redistribution, the House of Representatives increased the number of European representatives to 91 (up from 84 since the 1875–76 election). The number of Māori electorates was held at four. The House further decided that electorates should not have more than one representative, which led to 35 new electorates being formed, including Wellington South, and two electorates that had previously been abolished to be recreated. This necessitated a major disruption to existing boundaries.^[1]

The electorate was in the southern suburbs of Wellington. It was east of the Foxton and Te Aro electorates, and included Miramar Peninsula.^[2] In the 1887 electoral redistribution, the electorate was abolished again and replaced Wellington East for the more densely populated area, and by Wellington South and Suburbs for the more rural parts.^[3]

The first representative was William Hutchison, who was elected in 1881.^[4] In the 1884 election, Hutchison was defeated by George Fisher.^[5] When Wellington South was abolished in 1887, Fisher transferred to Wellington East.^[6]

It was then re-created in 1908 and abolished in 1946. It was largely replaced by the Island Bay electorate,^[2] to which Robert McKeen transferred.^[7]