In 1889 he moved a motion for the assembly to adjourn adjournment as a result of the appointment of Mr William Meeke Fehon as one of the Railway Commissioners and the motion was carried 37 to 23. The then premier, Henry Parkes, treated as a vote of no confidence and resigned. Want was sent for by the governor but declined the task of forming a ministry, with the Governor, Lord Carrington accepting his recommendation to call for George Dibbs to form his second ministry. Dibbs never commanded a majority on the floor of the Assembly and almost immediately parliament was dissolved and an election called. For the resulting election Want was a candidate for Paddington, standing as a member of the Free Trade Party, despite his views on Parkes and his role in moving for the adjournment of the house, and was the first elected of four members. For the 1891 election Want reverted to standing as an independent free trade candidate and was the second elected of four members. He was not anxious for office and temporarily retired from politics in 1891.