MAYORAL ELECTION.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13409, 29 April 1909, Page 8

MAYORAL ELECTION.

THE MAYOR'S SPEECH. The Mayor, who was received with applause, said that first of all he wished to thank those electors who had voted for him, and placed him in the proud position in which he stood that night. (Hear, hear). He had once been connected with the City Council, and had had a very uphill fight, and it was satisfactory, highly satisfactory indeed, to be absolved at last in the minds of the electors of Christchurch (hear, hear, and a voice: you deservo it). Well, ho h?d tried to deserve it (hear, hear), and when he had tried to do right'he generally came out on top (hear, hoar), and ho thought the result was another instance of the people appreciating when a man \vrtrying to do right. He was also glad that the election had been conducted without the slightest ill-feeling between himself and Mr Loughnan. Thero had been no party insinuations; and he thought. that the election could not have been conducted better. He was very sorry indeed that the protection of his own character had made it necessary for him to ffut himself right with tho electors, and so to oppose Mr Loughnan. That was the first reason why he had stood awiin, but, in addition, he wished before ho left office, to put the canal scheme and t'ho electric lighting scheme in such a positii<i that the people would be a bio to decide whether those important works were to be carried on or not. (Hear, hoar, and » voice: "They will, too.") It had been said during the last year that he had not been a brilliant man. He did not- think ho w»9 elected for that, but if he had not been a brilliant man he had generally tried to see that everything he undertook rested on a sound basis. That was his first consideration. If he had not initiated new works, the fact that tho city was already committed to large sums for waterworks, electric lighting, etc., showed that the credit of t-h© city was being pledged sufficiently for a little while, and when those worke were finished, fWrtbor expenditure on the canal proposal, if sanctioned, could then be made, and that work would be of more benefit than anything that had been done for Christchurch and Canterbury in the past. (A voice: "What about the Nimrod?") Regarding theNiirfrod. h« had explained that matter in tho newspapers, and ho thought the people bad absolved him, or they would not havtreturned him again. Ho had hoard' it said that he had fun«»:d the Dreadnought meeting, but ho was too ill at the timo to attend, and ho thought the people would recognise ho had good reason fotr staying at home. (Hear, hear.) It was the Inst tiling- tho people of Christchurch could Bay, that he had refused to take part ia anything and express the courage of his. convictions. Hβ was very sorry, indeed, to have to oppose Mr Loughnan, for difrinp his tonn as Mayor Mr Loughnan had been most gentlemanly, and had.given him most- reasonable support. When tie timo camo for Mr Loughnan to become Mayor he felt sure he would uphold tlie office with proper dignity, and that when ho finished his term of office the people would bay*> no occasion to rogrct having put him there, but he regretted vtry much that on the present occasion it became neceresary. for bim to oppose Mr Louahunn. (Loud applause and cheers.) MR LQUGHXAN. Mr Loughnan, who was also occorded an enthusiastic reception, said' he did not think the people "had come to hear a speech from the defeated candidato It was his dotty to thank those who nstl been gooo enough to eccord him their generous support. (Hear, hear ) Hnving been enlightened in the most emphatic manner that his views upon many subjects wore not those whioh commended themselves to tho majority of his fellow citizens, ho was quite content to accopt their verdict, and he could assure them that their interests

would be well served, and looked after by the gentleman they had chosen to bo their Mayor. (Applause.) The Mayor had referred to two small matters which had' been spoken of to his apparent discredit, but he could assure the people he did not think there was the smallest reason why any of them should not have perfect confidence in Mr Allison. He d:d not think the people wanted a speech; they had had enough of him, and" therefore he would simply content himself with thanking those who had supported him, and wishing them a municipal goodnight and goodbye. " Hearty cheers were given for Mr Loughnan at tho close of his .pooch. CANDIDATES RETURN THANKS.

The candidates, successful and unsuccessful, returned thanks to tho voters for electing or defeating them. The elect gave thanks tor being pl_t-_. in a proud position, and the defcoteu congratulated themselves on the goo_ tights they had mad?. The crowd was inclined to be facetious, but listene.l + i .the speeches with the utmost goc_ Lumour.

Councillor Williams, who headed tne. poll for St. Alban.s, was the first speaker. He-said that ho hoped to assist, to make Christchurch the premier city of the Dominion, as it shoulti bo." A voice enquired whetnei he -would put some metal on tlio Devonport road, ami Mr "Williams eaid that as soon as that thoroughfare was vested in tin? city the metal would be put en it. "A .horse and curt were lost th<*re yesterday." was the reply given by the voice The crowd laughed, and Mr Williams subsided after again thanking his supporters. Cr. Hydo, the second member foi St. Albans, encountered the crowd when it was in a jovial mood. He promised to do his best to "conserve the interests of the people," and to give wholehearted support to the canal and Wuim.ikariri schemes. Mr Anderson, a defeated candidal" for St. Albans, Rave a vigorous speech. and made an excellent impression H" remarked that for a comparative* stranger to the district ho had polled very well. The old members had been returno-d, end he hoped that ther" would bo fewer complaints in futuro about the state of tho roads in St. Albans. He also hoped to be in the proud position of victor at next oltx;----tion. Mr Ecrcyd, another of tho vanquished, thanked his supporters. Ho said that this was the first time that a serious attempt nad l>een made to get representation for labour, and he prodieted that tho result next time would bo more favourable to that cause. Ho went on to say that the water power scheme was of inlinitely greater importanoo to Christchurch than +-h»> canaJ. Comparative.lv the canal was not worth a second's consideration. Beyond this Mr Eeroyd was not allowed to go. His audience, was strongly procanal. Mr J. A. Blank, -who followed, had some difficulty in getting a bearing, ■but ho managed to assure tho crowd that he was favourable to the canal. He afterwards said that lie was not down-hearted, and that if they elected him they would have ''a practical man, if. you c'.'.oose to take advantage of .him." A voice' from the dark assured Mr Bla.uk that this was the laet tiling the ejectors wished to do. Mr Wilson, who had wooed unsuccessfully the Linwood electors, claimed that ho had struck a good blow for Labour, and ho predicted, that Labour would yet make itself heard in the city of Christchurch. After a long wait the final returns of the Central Ward were posted. Thc-ro I were many calls for Dr. Thacker, but he was not present. Mr J. J. Dougall returned thanks, remarking that one of t!he most pleasant features of the ejection was tho return of tlie old councillors. Cγ. Morris also returned thanks jan'T then the fount of eloquence tempo? - arily dried up. There wore no other candidates visible, so Mr Dougall moved a vote of thanks to the 'Returning Officer. This was resented by a person wh<» said that the electors should wait until the Returning Officer had completed his duties. After another wait Mr Bartram appeared. He gave a vigorous speech, in which he referred gratefully to "tho noble cix hundred" who had voted for rim. Defeat for him had no bitterness, he said. His audience g-rrrd at him/ but Mr Bartram was imperturb- 1 abl«. Ho thanked the newspapers for the- fair wuy in which t-boy had reported the speeches of Labour candidates, and expressed tho fervent hope that some day the said candidatt-s would scale the heights of wisdom which tho editors had already cliuibod. Messrs Holland an , ' Barrel!, deff-ited candidates, gave thanks for favours received, and intimated that they had not given up hope of nchiovirtj municipal honours. Sonic time after they had finished the long-delayed Selwyu *tro<?t return ci.nte to hand, and t:ie result of the Sydenham iVord nas available. The- four re-elected councillors returned thanks for tho expresrion of renewed tontulonce. Tho Late ur candidates had something else to say. Mr Xafferty put in a strong plea for a tinivereal Saturday fervlf-holidav. whereat there was much dissent. Mr Hunter urged that thn Parliamentary franchise should bt* used at tho municipal elections, as that would secure the representation of fho workers. •M-γ Hart, who met with a great reception, said that he had run a good race, and was only a gallop short. The election had shown that the old Council had not electrified tho city. The last word was said by Mr Miilbr, who remarked that the ehakingup the old councillors had received nhould make them, work better in the future. ■ At 11.40 p.m. the proceedings were over, and the few hundred people then conyt.itutin.g the audience melted away rapidly.