DEPUTY-MAYOR OF CITY

APPOINTMENT OF CR. E. H. ANDREWS

LABOUR MEMBER OBJECTS TO TERM The Christchurch City Council last evening elected Cr. E. H. Andrews, chairman of the finance committee, as its new Deputy-Mayor, to replace Cr. J. W. Beanland, who has resigned pending his candidature for the mayoralty. The election was not unanimous, one Labour councillor protesting against the appointment for a period longer than after the election of the new Mayor, and another proposing Cr. J. S. Barnett for the deputy-mayoralty. Cr. Beanland, asking the council to accept his resignation as DeputyMayor, explained that he would have to resign from the council on February 14 to allow synchronising of his resignation with that of the Mayor, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, 'and thus to allow the by-elections to be held on the one date. It would be unnecessary for him to retain the DeputyMayoralty for the few days remaining between the meeting of the council and February 14, he said. Cr. Beanland thanlced the councillors and the officers of the council for help given him while carrying out his duties. The courtesy he had received had made him feel that the office was well worth while holding. Cr. M. E. Lyons moved that the resignation be accepted and that the council tender its sincere appreciation of Cr. Beanland's services to the city as Deputy-Mayor. Cr. E. H. Andrews seconded the motion, also paying a tribute to Mr Beanland's work for the city. Cr. J. K. Archer said that Cr. Beanland had carried out his duties with great success. After the passing of the motion Cr. Beanland mcvedjfchat Cr. E. H. Andrews be appointed deputymayor. Cr. Lyons, seconding the motion, mentioned the long years of service Cr. Andrews had given the city. Cr. Archer then raised the point that the new deputy-mayor should

be appointed only until the election ?• a STY ayor - Was K in th e motion that the deputy-mayor be appointed to the time of the election he asked. "I mentioned nothing about time in the motion," Cr. Beanland replied. "Very soon we shall not have a mayor at all, and I cannot see how it we have no mayor, we can have a deputy-mayor," Cr. Archer said There is no need to have a deputv™a£?r ™ al ? - in fact - That is clear in the Municipal Corporations Act. It is clear that it is entirely optional for the council to have a denutvmaypr A new mayor r/ 3 to >e elected and in my judgment if a deputy-mayor is appointed this evening he should hold office only until the new mayor's election. Then if the council wishes it, he may be reappointed. We should do the new mayor, whoever he happens to *be the courtesy of giving him a voice m the selection of his deputymayor." "cputy

Cr E. Parlane moved as an amendment that Cr. J. S. Barnett be appointed Deputy-Mayor. This wis On C °r de A h l Cr. Tr H. Butterftefi On Cr. Archer calling for a division, the decision, on strictly party voting, was against the amendment by 10 votes to 3. The motion appointing Cr. Andrews was then carried