RESIGNATION IN FEBRUARY

" ;i ■ ♦ : MAYOR’S DECISION BY-ELECTIONS MAY BE HELD ON MARCH 11

It now seems certain that the j mayoral by-election caused through ; the pending resignation of the Hon. i D. G. Sullivan, and the City Council by-election which will probably also be necessary, will be held on March 11. This is not final, but yesterday the Mayor told “The Press” that at the moment March 11 looked the probable date. The Mayor will resign either on February 7 or February 14. The date selected will automatically fix the date for the elections. At the invitation of Mr Sullivan a conference was held yesterday afternoon with the representatives of the two parties interested —the Citizen’s Association and the Labour party—and the complications which have arisen over the Mayor’s resignation discussed. It was necessary to select a dale on which could be held the mayoral by-election, the byelection for the scat now held by Cr. C. E Jones, and other council by-elections which might be necessary if any councillor is nominated for the mayoralty. Sought by Mayor Mr Sullivan said after the conference that he had sought the discussion himself in an endeavour to meet the wishes of all the parlies interested. His actions in the matter had been dictated mainly by that desire. The conclusion had 1 been reached alter the discussion! that the elections should be held j either on the first or second Wednes- j day in March. i

“That will mean that my resignation will take place either on February 7 or February 14,” Mr Sullivan said. “It depends on which date is selected for the election. But at the moment it looks probable, although not final, that the elections will take place on March 11.” The Mayor said that any by-elec-tions necessary would be held on the same date. The resignation of Cr. Jones would be made to synchronise so that the by-election necessary to fill his scat on the city council would be hold on the date of the mayoral by-election.

The necessity for a by-election to till the v may ora I chair has caused complications other than those associated with fixing'a suitable dale and choosing candidates. It seemed certain that at least one of the candidates for the mayoralty will be a member of the present council. If a member of the council is nominated and wins the contest, there will be the necessity for another byelection to fill his seat on the council. This can only be avoided by the nominee resigning tiis seat on the council before the election, and it seems likely that this will be done in at least one case. That will mean an addition to the number of council seats to be contested with the mayoral by-election.