THE BY-ELECTION

Mr J. W. Beanland Elected Mayor CLOSE CONTEST WITH MR J. K. ARCHER Labour Wins Two Seats on Council By a majority of 911 votes, the Citizens' Association's candidate for Mayor, Mr J. W. Beanland, defeated the Labour party's representative, Mr J. K. Archer, in the.by-election yesterday. The third candidate. Mr E. L. Hills, who stood as Independent Labour, was never likely to be elected, and polled only 449 votes. Two Labour candidates—Messrs R. M. Macfarlane and G. Manning—and one Citizens' Association candidate—Sir Hugh Acland—won seats on the City Council. Sir Hugh Acland, who. was beaten in the mayoral election last May by a narrow margin, headed the poll yesterday with a majority of 952 votes over Mr Macfarlane, who was next on the list. The result of the mayoral election was:— Votes. J. W. BEANLAND (Citizens' Association) (elected) .. 15,083 1. K. ARCHER (Labour) .. .. •• ".JJj E. L. BILLS (Independent Labour) .. .. .. 449 Majority for Beanland •• 911 This is the first occasion since 1925 on which Christchurch has not had a Labour Mayor. In 1925, Mr Archer defeated Mr j. A. Flesher, who was seeking re-election as the representative «f the Citbens' Association, by 1021 votes. From that date until yesterday, the Citizens' Association has failed in all its attempts to regain the office. The suecess of the Labour party in winning two of the three vacant seats on the council will not affect the control won hy the Citizens' Association nominees at the municipal election last year. On that occasion the association won 12 of the 16 teats, the rest going to Labour. The council will now consist of li CiUiens' Association representatives and five Labour members. Mr Manning gained a seat on the council in 1927, and Mr Macfarlane was successful in 1929, each holding office for two years. Sir Hugh Acland has not before been a councillor.

CONTEST FOR MAYORALTY

A CLOSE FIGHT KEEN INTEREST SHOWN BY ■.'l ELECTORS More than 30,000 electors on the . municipal roll °* 65 - 708 voted in the contest for the mayoralty, and although Mr Beanland's majority was lest than 1000, the final result was reasonably certain half an hour before the last return was received. Al- ' though there were only about 2000 persons waiting lor results outside uv. City Council Chambers last night, the . i interest taken by the electors was very keen, and it is probable that the total number of votes cast is a record for a by-election for the- mayoralty in " Christchurch.' At the election last May. it was considered that the poll was a record, and on that occasion more than 38,000 electors registered ' tteir votes* In the mayoral contest of Sb, the number of voters was Jess than that in the by-election yesterday. The final result was known at 9 pan., two hours after the poll closed. The ' heaviest polling was at the booth outside the City Council Chambers, and it was here that Mr Beanland had the most substantial majority. For Mr . Archer there were 645 votes, and for Mr Beanland 1280. Of the 17 booths in ' the central area, Mr Beanland had . majorities at 10, and the gain at these was far more than that of Mr Archer at the seven booths he won. Mr Archer had majorities at 15 of the 17 booths in the area which included Linwood, Bromley, and Woolston, but he was defeated at 18 of the 19 booths in the St. Albans, Papanul, and Richmond districts. Of we 24 booths in Sydenham and • Sprcydon, Mr Beanland won only two. The heaviest vote at a single booth for Mr Hills was 27. That was at the marquee outside the City Council Chambers. First Result • The first result was received by the ' returning officer, Mr J. S. Neville, at

7-9 p.m., from the booth at the Oddfellows' Hall in St. Asaph street. The following table shows how the returns affecting Mr Beanland and Mr Archer came in during the evening:—

At B.2o,'returns had not been received from only five booths, and it was generally agreed that these could not affedt the final result. At no stage had Mr Beanland been headed, nor was he ever seriously threatened. Mr Hills's total of 449 votes was by no means enough to save his deposit of £lO from forfeiture, for the act stipulates that a candidate must poll at least one-eighth of the total number of votes gained by the leading candidate if he is to retain his deposit. The roll will be checked by the substitute returning officer, Mr A. Freeman, to-day, when the Mayoral votes will be recounted. It is expected that this recount will be completed today. The recount of the council votes will not be finished until Saturday. Details of Polling The following list gives the details of polling for the mayoralty:—

Time. Archer. Beanland 7.12 469 643 7.20 1,510 1,708 7.30 3,564 3,888 7.40 6,569 7,471 7.50 7,725 8,822 8.0 10,667 12,127 8.10 12,540 13,966 8.20 13,624 14,628 Final 14,172 15,083

7J • 1 1 in * & s Municipal offices 645 1,260 27 Orange Hall, Worcester street 71 227 3 Late "Sun" newspaper 1B3 659 12 Foresters' Hall, Oxford terrace 382 323 11 Old Art Gallery 119 404 11 Knox Church 222 580 16 Marquee, Bealey aVe. 124 292 4 Otley's timber yard .. 187 151 14 Canterbury Rowing Club 138 128 6 East Belt Wesley Church 128 150 2 St. John's Church 133 284 3 St. Michael's Church .. 166 218 3 St. Andrew's 177 248 9 Church of Christ 225 65 4 Oddfellows' Hall, St. Asaph street 106 96 2 Hibernian Hall, Barbadoes street .. 337 230 13 Methodist Church, Richmond 236 212 8 Linwood Library 484 414 7 Rolleston Street Hall 143 167 5 River and Retreat rds. 84 110 3 St. George's Church... 151 149 5 No. 702 Gloucester st. 149 142 7 St. Chad's Church .. 102 77 5 Linwood avenue and Buckley's road 328 222 8 Tuam st. and Matheson's road . 247 103 6 Salvation Army Hall, Fitzgerald avenue 291 92 in Leyden street 234 92 1 Charles and Grafton streets 274 108 4 Aldwin'd road 289 112 6 10 Monica Park 178 61 Smith's Motor Shed. Hopkins street 148 56 1 Oddfellows' Hall, Ferry road 152 69 2 Princes and Barton sts. 127 45 7 Radley street 172 88 4 Merivale lane 34 284 0 Rugby street 164 692 11 Heaton street 22 204 1 St. Andrew's terrace .. 27 143 2 Bligh's road 50 70 0 Memorial Hall, Papanui 149 231 7 394 Papanui road 75 193 5 St. Andrew's College 103 380 4 ftrown's road 42 191 4 St. Albans and Rutland streets 12U 199 4 street 167 256 7 Warrington street . .. 123 289 U St. Stephen's Church 56 128 1 Hills road 92 110 5 Randall street 104 179 5 Madras street North .. ' 144. 219 5 Barbadoes and Dean streets 168 222 7 Canon street 69 112 7 St. Matthew's Church 237 335 11 Baptist Church, Lincoln road 101 100 4 Barrington and Taramea streets 138 84 2 Addington Public Lib. 235 126 8 Selwyn & Harman sts. 265 129 3 South Crescent rd. Selwyn street 246 157 4 Strickland -st. and Sth. Crescent rd. 406 238 10 Spreydon Public Lib. 177 149 1 Milton street 137 68 1 137 Barrington street 51 58 1 38 Somerfield street .. 97 70 3 Baptist Church, Colombo street 297 202 3 St. David's Church .. 199 , 115 5 Sydenham Library ,. 402 203 4 Cadogan and' Burlington streets 214 73 1 Battersea street 258 57 3 Sydenham Football Club 423 168 12 Carlyje street 102 24 3 Falsgrave street 119 37 1 Waltham Hall 286 113 4 Waltham Library 296 101 10 St. Mark's Church, Opawa 126 190 7 St. Martins Library .. 148 138 2 Martin avenue 179 101 8 Y.W.C.A. Room, Lyttelton 96 28 . — Final totals 14,172 15,083 Ite There were 301 informal votes.