MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13103, 30 April 1908, Page 9

MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

CHIIIBTCHURCH

ym c. ALLi.sox keturned.

The contest for the mayoralty oi Chi-istchur<'lj wa.s determined .yesterday, and the resuk was a victory for .Mr C. Allison, who polled a majority or 112 over Mr G. Payling, the retiring Mayor. The in>t«ro«t taken in ' l\u; election w:>.s very perfunctory, a* 1* slioivn i.y t!ie fact that or..'.y *2G3U valid voie.s were east out of a roll number approximating 12,300. It would bo difficult to point to a more sirildiiK instance of municipal apathy in regnnl to civic elections. The recviilt of thu ek-ction. was declared by the Kcturiiing Officer, Mr liulme. shortly after « p.m., at the principal polling-place, the Provincial «kun-|x-..-a. ilu-ie were cor. ::lcrablv over a Hundred people pre;-;, nt, and' the anlio.inremen: tivit Mr Alliron had scjiind the victory was received with o')v:oii.s surprise. An analysis of the voting Kiiows that Mr PayJiji" jx»l!e<l

the .substantial majority oi' :is7 im the Central ward, but tins was swamped by Mr A.lison's overwhelming majority of 0,2 in, tho Sydenham ward. The details of the voting are «ns follows:— Booth. A'lison. Paylinff. Informal Provincial Council Chamber (1) .. 67 206 1 Prm-inviul Council Cham>.«r \2) .. 36 10G SI. Michael's Schoolroom .. CI 97 — St. John's Schoollomn .. .. 'it ]33 ] Foresters' Hall .. \(\l gj 2 Meihodist .Schoolroom .. .. 20 31 | Old Council Chambers, Lin wood HO JIG 0 Social llaU .. 50 33 Methodist Schoolroom, Papamii rd. S3 90 — Kniphtstown Library 46 32 1 ilethodist Schoolroom, Edyevraro road .. .. !-| ~,1 1 O!d Druide , Hn!l m-i Sf> 4 Oddfellows' Ha!! 1)4 4ft — Waltham Library I3t It 1 Pock's Store .. 40 '2G

Totals .. 1353 12-n J3 Majority for C. Allison, 142 Tho Mayor-e-leet, addressing tho gathering, e&id that lw 4iad come out evening with a defeated candidate's speech. propa,red. (A voice: "What for?" and laughter.) Ho had found that there was not much interest being teken in tiho election, and an that account ho wne greatly dieappoiiiitcd. Naturally thie wae ono of tiio proudest moments of hie life. In Booking t3ie offico of Mayor he had rot boon a froo ageint. It was, represented to ibim that a number of peopl© wore (somewhat discontented width iho present methods adopted in oonaiootion -with, municipal goveim.mont, and the discontented section having determined <to bring out another candidate, it was considered that he represented tibo views of that eesotion better than any other. The result showed that tho discontented once hod won. Id ha*! bce<n ea«l that h« was non-progressive, but he esked whether during liis tenure of tho offico of Town Clerk and Surveyor of Sydotdiam ho did not advance Sydenham, ii: proportion to he means, more thtui any other distirct. The principal loan in Sydenham had £2000 or £3000 ef.ill to epond, after twenty years. He had boon called oheese-pa,ring, but in teydojiJiam ho- hud to bo eheoso-paj-i.ng, and that, perhaps, hod influenced has conduct in the City Council. No one however, could cay that ho had shown factious opposition to any genuine improvement—Ms opposition was desi-m- ---+ £ , Ul ' m &' " l proper shape. °<\s to tino Jiigh-pressuro wa.btor ho Jwd thought that a cheaper and "more eftoeUvo eystom could Jla.vo been intax>duood, but ho would do h:e best to iiavo tho ca.ri-ied out in iho best posß-iWe manner. If an y other project was mooted. , in- the Council that was likely- iiHiin opinUnv after cautious consideration, to load "to tho advancomenit of Christcluirch, it would find hrm one of its Warmest snp. porters. They had to cut thoir coat according to the clot-h, and the oloth of Chnstchurdi Was not an inexhaustible pieco. Compared with Auckland and Wellington they had a comparatively poor revenue, and aa improvements had to com© out of revenue they had necessarily to bo cautious. He would have a further opportunity of placing his views.on what tho^Council was going to do before the public. He hoped when tho policy was declared, and tho end of his term was in sMit, it would not be found that ho had been the obstructive., nonprogressive man that some people had represented him to be. (Applause). Someone in the crowd called, for "Tlireo chews for Allison/' and this met with a complimentary response. Mr G. Payling the retiring Mayor, said that ho -was exceedingly oorry about tho result. Ho had relied on his friends, who hnd mnde too euro of liis returnj and the result showed that it was a mistake to be too euro about anything. Ho had said nothing about Mr Allison during the contest, and ho could only express the hope that as the ratepayers had elected, him he would do what they expected of. him. He (tho speaker) had nothing to y roproach himself with as fnr as tho conduct of • his business with the city was concerned. Ho had endeavoured to carry many measures for the benefit of Chriatchurch, and somo of those which had biM>h carried out had been before tho Council for ten or twelve years. Among them were the high pressure water supply and the Municipal Baths. Po had also done a great deal in regard to tho snnplv of electricity for the city. He thought that they must be able to produce cheap power if they were to encourago men with capital to come here and start manufactories. This would result eventually in the erection of huge buildings, and they would manufacture commodities which at present they were importing, though they produced the raw material locally. As to tho election, it was evident that the ratopjiyers did not require his services for another year. He -regretted this decision, but as tbev had chosen Mr Allison ho had nothing to say against it. Ho hoped that the new Mayor would have a pleasant year of office, and that he would bring forward schemes for tbo progress of the City. Mr Allison was an old municipal mail, and had a lot of experience. Ho might not have been quite of the progressivo or go-auioad typo—(laughter)—but now that ho was elected lio might turn orer a now leaf, and push along tho things necessary for the progress of tho city. Personally, ho (the speaker) belior-'d that ho had enjoyed the ratepayers' confidence up to the present juncture, but now ho would go back to his own business. (Applause). Tho Mayor-elect moved 1 a voto of thanks to the Reetuming Officer for tho manner in which he had conducted tho ejection. Tho election hod been fought entirely on public grounds, and: had been free from personalitace. A Voice: Why didn't you give us your policy V

I Mr Payling, in reply to this remark, said that it was no ur=e going t< th-o r.xjxmso of calling public meetings which were attended by four or j>sx>p]o who tvero, perhaps, not "tiiiopaxert,. He had boon ejx:«kijig to for tho poet two yeans, and '£??£•'■ ratepayers must know his views. }h> had relied on the work he . had done to oatisfy. the ratepayers. He believed thn-t tlw work ho 7wd initiate<l A\t>uld be puelied on, ami that tile water sch-o.me would be forwarded as much as possible. (The sJayor-el<?ct: Hoar, hoar.) Hiioie acknowledged the vote of tlianks. The result of the election

ivas in his bands at 7.40 p.m., a fact .vhich he thought was mest complimentary to tho start which was engaged. Tho Ma-yor-olpct was appointed Town Clerk and , »Surveyor to tbo Borough Council of Sydonlunm in September, 1879. Theeo iMjsitions he liekl till tho absorption of Sydenliam into Greater Christchurch. In 19(Xj he was ejected as one of the members of the City Council of Greater Christchurch for h<; Sydenham ward, and he was reelected ac one of the represent atives of the ward in IDO7.