BOROUGH COUNCIL

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 184, 19 May 1941, Page 3

BOROUGH COUNCIL

five NEW MEMBERS. OLD COUNCILLORS REJECTED. The appeal of new candidates for the Rorough Council met with a quick response on the part of the electors, who placed five neW members in office, the rejected candidates including two o members, one who was chairman of the Dy-LaWs Committee, and one a former chairman of the Domain Committee ahd Deputy-Mayor, Messrs S. Mitchel ahd jj. Rn eh ana n, respectively. One of the new candidates, Mr A. il Todd, topped the poll by a majority bf 82 ovef the next on the list, Mr ix. 8. Kerr, who was also a new candidate; Mr Todd polled heavily at all booths. Other new members are Messrs

W. H. Amos, H. G. Forrior, and W H. Sarney.

The new Council will comprise the following, in the order in which they wore placed by the electors:—

Messrs A. H. Todd, W. S. Kerr, A. H. Fenn, E. C. Bathurst, A. A.'AlcDonakl, W. H. Sarney, H. G. Forrior, H. W. H. Smallbone, H. W. Sherratt, J. Thompson, W. H. Amos. •

The unsuccessful candidates were Messrs E. Buchanan, S. AY. Gower, C. H. F. Maynard and S. Mitchell.

The popularity of candidates in the districts in which they are best known was shown hv the voting. In the town booths (Borough Council Chambers and the Methodist Schoolroom), Mr Todd was easily the leading candidate. At Hampstead, Mr Kerr topped the poll and at Allenton Mr Bathurst was placed first, while ’at Tinwald, vrhere comparatively few votes were cast, Mr Sarney was the leading candidate, though his place of residence is in the north end of the Borough. Details of the voting were:—

There are 50 declaration votes yet to be counted.

The Candidates Speak

After the results of the poll had been made known by the Returning Officer the candidates for the Council addressed the crowd, which was in good humour despite the chilliness of the evening.

Mr Todd expressed his thanks for the very generous response to his appeal to the electors, and he hoped that in three years’ time the people would think of him in the same confident terms as they now appeared to bestow on him. He was prepared to do all he could for the good of the town. He urged the people of Ashburton to be loyal to their town, to get behind its institutions and help them along wherever they could, for Ashburton was one of the best towns in the Dominion.

The splendid vote that had been given him rather embarrassed him, said Mr Kerr. He took it as a. tribute to his brother (the late Mr R. Kerr) rvho had given 18 years of service to the Council. He would endeavour to carry out his work as conscientiously as his brother had done. The present was not a time for any big project to be undertaken by the Council; the people must first concentrate on winning the war. At the same time, much could be done to make the town progress in other ways.

Mr Fenn said, after thanking the electors, that the progress of the town would not be neglected with the excellent men elected to tpe Council that day in charge of affairs.

An assurance that he would not relax his efforts in the interests of the whole Borough was voiced by Mr Bathurst, who said it was unfortunate that the services of all the candidates could not be made use of. Mr McDonald said that the large number of candidates who had contested the election said much for the progressive spirit of the town. He regretted that one or two of the old Council members would be missing from the Council table in the next term. He en-

dorsed Mr Todd’s plea lor loyalty to the town.

Mr Sarney said he liad a good deal to learn, but he would do all he could to further the interests of Ashburton through his work for the Council. Taking office on the Borough Council Was a job most people were inclined to leave to the other fellow, said Air Fcrrier. • They were generally inclined to sit back and criticise, so lie liad decided that it was a duty to offer lvis services. He had much to learn, hut he would he diligent in his learning and in justifying the confidence the electors had shown in him. Air Smallbone assured the electors that with honest work and sincerity of purpose he would do his full share of the work on the Council.

Air Sherratt said he had preferred tp work quietly, without making any noise about it. Ashburton was a town to he proud of and he would do his best for it.

Air Thompson said he had spent 18 years on Council work and had tried to be a live wire in the town. He had not seen eye to eye with everyone, but trod his own path without fear or favour.

Air Amos said lie had one regret, in that lie was displacing one of the oldest members of the Council, who had done his best for the. town over many years, but the figures were not then final, and if there should be a change he would willingly stand aside for that member.

“I want to thank all those who voted for me to-day,’’ said Air Gower, “and 1 know mv wife thanks all those who did not vote for me.’’ He offered his congratulations to the successful candidates and said that lie would he pleased to assist the welfare of the town as he had done in the past. Mr Buchanan said he had given of his host for the town as a whole and perhaps it was time he sat back and lot the younger blood get on to the Council, where 1 they would perhaps carry on the work even hotter than it was done before.

Air Alitcliell said a very good team had been elected and they would look after the Borougfi’s interests very well. Air Maynard said that perhaps in three years’ time lie would be able to take a seat on the Council.

As there are only eight votes between the last apparently elected member of the Council and the next on the list and there are 50 declaration votes to be counted, the position there might he changed, so the meeting of the Council which was to have been held this evening lias been postponed till the position is clarified.

Council Chambers. Methodist Room a O -+-> f/i 3 w Allenton Timvakl Totals. Amos . .541 187 153 102 5 988 Bathurst .. 620 239 196 177 5 1237 Buchanan . 598 185 159 114 6 962 Fenn .. 049 246 231 125 5 1256 Ferrior .. 645 211 148 144 3 1151 Gower .. 504 216 150 107 3 980 Kerr .. 645 284 258 147 5 1339 Mavnard .. 342 143 113 86 2 688 Mitchell . 369 166 151 78 3 787 McDonald . 627 230 185 128 5 1175 Barney * . 639 202 182 131 7 1161 Sherratt . .. 565 214 170 112 3 1064 Smnllbone . 593 214 203 130 6 1146 Thompson . 571 214 243 100 4 1032 Todd .. 728 289 237 161 6 1421 Informal . 6