SPEECHES OF THE CANDIDATES

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21730, 12 March 1936, Page 12

SPEECHES OF THE CANDIDATES

STORMY RECEPTION FOR MR BEANLAND MR ARCHER'S CONGRATULATIONS When the new Mayor. of the city Mr i. W. Beanland, mounted the platform outside the City Council Chambers after the declaration of his election he was so stormily received that very few of his words could be heard even by those foremost in the crowd. "I have to thank you very sincerely " he began, and the rest of his words were drowned in an outburst of hoot* ing, booing and counting out. Mr Beanland paused and both Mr J. K. Archer and Mr E. L. Hills, the defeated Mayoral candidates, appealed, to the crowd for a fair hearing. But the demonstration, which had its centre in a small group near the front of the crowd, continued, and only an odd word from Mr Beanland could be caught. When Mr Archer stepped forward to speak, most of those who had been hooting Mr Beanland began to cheer, but a few hoots continued. Mr Archer coHld easily be heard, however. "I am very glad that some of you are booing me and counting me out," Mr Archer began, "because if you are not prepared to listen to the Mayor you shouldn't listen to me.' Mr Beanland has been elected Mayor by a decisive majority and I hope I am sport enough to congratulate him and wish him and the city well. I am sure that in Mrs Beanland you have an excellent Mayoress. Mr Archer went on to thank all those who had voted and worked for the Labour party. "I had rather be defeated fighting for Labour than be successful fighting against it," he said. "However, Mr Beanland has won and I wish him success." Mr Hills's Speech The hostility shown toward Mr Beanland was surpassed by that which greeted Mr Hills, but by shouting Mr Hills made himself heard. He first congi'atulated Mr Beanland, and extended his "sincere sympathy" to Mr Archer. "I have tried on many occasions to enter public life, and I have been defeated, but I am not deterred, and I shall' continue to try for many years to come,"-he said. Amid laughing and hooting, he predicted that in 10 years the electors would be acclaiming him as their mayor just as wildly as they were then counting him out. If he had had the support Of either of the other candidate's party organisations he would have been the new mayor of the city. "I venture to predict that when I have had the experience of Mr Archer, winning the mayoralty won't be a canter for me." Mr Hills concluded by thanking those who had voted for him.

THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES MR J. W. BEANLAND Mr John Walton Beanland, J.P., the successful mayoral candidate, has been on the Christchurch City Council since 1913 and on the Christchurch Drainage Board for a period almost as long. He also hag to his record service on the Christchurch Tramway Board, and he has been deputy-mayor for more than one term. He is one of the prominent building contractors in the city. Mr Beanland polled very well in the last municipal elections and was elected deputy-mayor by the council which was returned last May. SIR HUGH ACLAND In the last mayoral election, in May, 1935, Sir Hugh Acland, who has been elected to the City Council as a representative of the Citizens' Association, proved himself a formidable opponent to Mr Sullivan. Sir Hugh is one of the most distinguished surgeons in the city and is a native of Christchurch. He studied at Christ's College, the University of Otago, and St. Thomas's, London. He had a fine war record. He was one of the Founder Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, has done notable work in the cancer campaign, and has served on the North Canterbury Hospital Board for many years. For the mayoralty last year Mr Sullivan beat Sir Hugh by 336 votes. MR R. M. MACFARLANE Mr R. M. Macfarlane, one of the two new Labour members of the City Council, entered the Labour movement as a young man, and has taken a prominent part in its affairs in Christchurch ever since. He was elected to the City Council in 1929, and held a seat for two years. In IP3I he was appointed secretary to the Labour Representation Committee, a position which he still holds, and he also acts as secretary to a number of trades unions. He unsuccessfully contested the Christchurch North seat at the last general election. MR GEORGE MANNING Mr George Manning, the second new Labour member of the City Council, has been prominent in Labour affairs since his arrival in New Zealand. He is also well known.in the city as the secretary of the Workers' Educational

Association. In 1917 he contested the City Council election for the first time and, 10 years later, in 1927, was plected a member for a term. In 1933 he was elected a member of the Christchurch Tramway Board.-