LOCAL-BODY ELECTIONS

MAYORALTY ANJ> BOROUGH ..COUNCIL.

MR CORRY RETURNED.

What was cttrrently termed the dbuble event—the. welcoming of a.n unusually large draft of returned soldiers and the announcement of the municipal election results—attracted a big gathering of people to Market Place last-night. The cheers given for tlio soldiers and two nurses back from active service had only just died away—a few ininiites after eight o'clock—when the ( Returning Officar <Mr W. T. Mansfield) appeared alongside the Mayor (Mr J. J. Corry) on the rotunda with the results of the Mayoral contest. These ware:— ■ * ■ ■■ John .Joseph Corry ••• 834 Archibald McGallum ..j 518 Informal' ... '••• ■•■• 10 Majority for Mr Corry 316 The sheering thai*' followed the Minounceonenifc evidenced the popular nat-ire of the win. ' Mr Cbr'ry thanked the electors for their encouraging expression of confLdance. Ho took it as an assurance! thaVthc endeavors of his wife and himself to serve the interests of the peoolo of Blenheim were appreciated. Heaeccptod iti, too, as a mandate for the energetic prosecution of a water-supply.-and sewerage scheme and other improvements which; he considered should be talten, in haijd as soon as was practicable for the development of the borough. He hoped ; and believed, that Blenheim was entering upon a period of sound progress, and ho assured the electors that he ; would apply himself earnestly to the i opportunities for its advancement. ' Ho appreciated his win the more as !he 'realised that his opponent stood high in the estimation- of the citizens and had behind him ■» good record of public service. The contest in which they had been. opposed had not les- . sened his willingness to associate him- ' self .vith Mr McCallum, and those who had voted for that gentleman, for this progress of the district. Mr Corry'' expressed the special gratitude he felt for the organisation . and the woi'k of his election, .committee; ho was veiy grateful- for the manner in which its .members # had repeatedly come forward "th assist him.

On the call of Mr Corry hearty., cheers ■ were given, for Mr McGallum. Mr McCallum, who met with a cordial reception, acknowledged the verdict of the electors in a fine spirit. Having thanked his own supporters, ho' 'said he cheerfully accepted his de--feat, arid he as readily, congratulated 'Mr Carry on his victory and wished him a full measure of success. Ho himself would be always ready to cooperate with those who honestly tried to promote iihe interests of the community. As for what had been called his reticence as, a-candidate,, the attitude he, liook up was that it would be only right for him to wait until Mr Corry/nad fixed his time for iiho addressing''of the electors. \ His opponent's address was not delivered until last Monday, and ; that allowed him only the Tuesday might, which was atoft practicable. Touching on iky* water and drainage question, he gave it as his opinion that ;t>he borough should not be forthwith committed'— without very careful consideration- — to an expensive and costly; .programme of enterprises. He counselled caution in view of the tremendous war indebtedness for which -jtho Dominion and the local authorities; would have to provide. The nnanci**J^o«itioirw«i,s a 'precarious.'.one:; and2they should proceed warily. Ho explained that he came out for the Mayoralty with a specific purpose.. He was actuated, by a desire to make a proitest against Mr Qorry's action in trespassing on ground which he thought the Mayor and the Borough Council should keep oft. He, referred to river conservation matters (Mr McCallum ' is the., chairman of the Lower Wairau River Board) and. to the hand taken in behalf., of. the Borough' Council in the amalgamation movemeiiii. Ho did not thin,k;.fihe\ River Board/ should be ■■interfered with. In concluding Mr McCallutn said thfit he hf"d Yen beaten for the- first time in public life but.he was not daunted, and would continue', to do his best fpr t]ie public 4 interests.1 He had had, at least, a, good day's* outing •'.'(laughter'- :iwid cheers).* • '■'•"■ ■'•■ -,

"In tli© Mayoral election of 1917 Mr Oorrv had a• "majority of -264 over Mr W. Carr, the'tot il number of votes recorded being 1200. lit the contest of 191{5 Mr Oorry defeated Mr Canby 95, the total number of votes being 1416.

THE BOROUGH COUNCIL

'For tlie nine seats on the Borough Council there were- ten candidates, eight of them.being members of the old Council (Councillor E!. S. Parker re-tiring),, and t>he other two being Mrs iFrecl Redwood and Mr T. 'Moci'olej'. A .special feature of the occasion was the first appearance of a lady's name on a Blenheim municipal ballot-^aper. Tho ladtj' candidato was the rejected one.

The voting was expeditiously ©minted by the Returning Officer and his staff, and the results of the Council and the Hospital Board elections were announced :foom the rotunda at aifoout 11 p.m.. The municipal results •&tre as follows:— M. McKonzie <- ... 1020 W. Carr ...« ..... .... 1002 B. J. Cook© ... 1002 J. A. Leslb :• 969 A. -CtuTv ;.. 946 W. IX Pike 915 T. Mosc'ey ... ... .... 913 -W. E. Gascoigne ■•■ 904' F. Birch -.- 900 A. Redwood ... -.. 7(37' Informal 26 A considerable number of people had waited to hear the. result, and, the publication having been made, they were addressed by some of the candidates. WAIRAU HOSPITAL BOAIMX Tlirea i-epresentaitdves of the borough were required for the- "Wsvirau Hospital and Charitable. Aid Board, and four candidates tyer-e forthcoming. The voting was as follow:-. :— J. J. Corn- 9.-, l Ada Kcvhvoo4 891 .!•:. S. Parker 703 W. IT. Maccy 75f> rnform.'il votes' -•. 52 Mr CoiT.v has been the chairman of the Btvud'for soveral years, and Mrs FrtMl Hedwn'otl was dlected to it in 1917. Mr Parker joins it for tho first time. Mr W. Carr is the retiring member. In 1917 Mrs ltedwood polled 716 votes and Mr Corry 581.