SUMNER POLL CARRIED

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24501, 26 February 1945, Page 4

SUMNER POLL CARRIED

Amalgamation With -City riccarton Not COMING in Sumner residents voted almost a two to one in favour of amalgamation, with the city of Christchurch at the poll on Saturday, but at Riccarton the amalgamation proposal was defeated by the harrow margin of 76 votes, which may be reduced or increased by the official count when declaration votes'and informal votes are considered. The total votes for * each issue in each botough were:' ■ Sumner . , ■ ■ For .. •. .. • • 937 i Against 520 Riccarton ’ For ■ • • > «• 1080 Against '.. • .. .. H56 . At Sumner the result ‘was clear as soon as the counting of votes began, but at Riccarton it was in doubt till the figures for the last booth were counted. The biggest margins in favour of amalgamation in the Sumner poll were at the Christchurch booth and at Redcliffs, but every booth showed a clear majority ■ for amalgamation. At Riccarton; however. fbur of the first five booths were in favour of amalgamation, which was leading by 827 votes to 657 at that stage. The town hall voting was almost two tp one against amalgamation, however. The biggest booth majority for amalgamation, was at St. Hilda’s schoolroom, the nearest to the State housing settlement, where more than, 80 per cent, of the votes were In favour of the proposal. Booth returns for each poll are as follows: '■ .

Riccarton

Totals .. .. 937 620 41 Majority for ~ .. .. 417 There are 33 declaration votes to be considered. 'The total vote at Sumner was 1498, substantially lower than the total of 1743 at the last municipal election. There were 2814 on the roll. At Riccarton 2268 votes were cast with a roll of 5430. The substitute returning officer at Riccarton (Miss F. C. Candy) said all denuty returning officers reported that .there i had been much confusion over / the form of the voting paper, which was that specified in the schedule to the Local Elections and Polls Act. A number of ballot papers were spoiled and some persons were believed to have voted for the wrong, issue. Electors were confused by having to put a cross opposite the lsspe for which they wished to vote, and the issues were merely for or against,- the proposal being explained at the top of the paper.. Had the paper be®n a-simple one with two lines, for amalgamation and against amalgamation, with the elector required to strike out the one he did not want it would have been better. Speeches at Riccarton After the announcement of the result at Riccarton, the Mayor (Mr .H. S. S. Kyle) briefly addressed a small gathering outside the council chambers. He thanked all those who had voted against the, proposal bn behalf of himself and councillors, and, he thought he could say, on behalf of the Town Clerk (Mr R; J. Sarjeant). They all knew where Mr Sarjeant had ?tood. He had beep, with the council throughout, showing the disadvantages of amalgamation as against the advantages "claimed by supporters. The poll had had one result; it had brought to the knowledge of the neople of, Riccarton the true position of the affairs, finance, administration, and management of the borough. Mr A. V. Harris, chairman of the amalgamation committee, shook hands with Mr Kyle and congratulated the council on its win. His committee, he said, would accept the decision of the people in good spirit. The campaign had been conducted because his committee believed there was a definite feeling among some sections that there should be amalgamation. The closeness of the poll showed that that feeling was justified. His committee had no animosity towards the Mayor and council. The advantage was with the defence, and the council was firmly entrenched. Comments at Sumner “I left no stone unturned to bring this matter to a poll,” said the Mayor of Sumner (Mr C. G. Burgess) yesterday. “The result Is the decision of the people of Sumner, and those who worked for it have reason to be gratified. I congratulate them. I am not concerned with any other aspect of the question, because the result of the poll does not absolve the people from working toward a greater Sumner. It does not. matter who does it so long as it is done.” Mr L. H. Hunt, chairman of the Sumner-Redclifls Amalgamation Committee, said that from his noint of view the result was very satisfactory and would, he thought, be of mutual benefit to both Christchurch and Sumner. In his opinion it was the beginning of a landslide, with both Riccarton and Waimairi following the lead given oy Sumner. Cr. W. B. Owen,- secretary of the anti-amalgamation committee, said he was glad the poll was a decisive one. Sumner residents had made their decision, which was their democratic right. It must be left to time for the ultimate answer to who was right and who was wrong. He congratulated the amalgamation committee and its supporters. who worked hard and persistently. Differences must now be sunk and all must see to it that the City Council did its duty to Sumner. From his experience on the Sumner Council he thought the Sumner residents would give the City Council many headaches. “I , would like to congratulate Christchurch on at last obtaining a town hall,” Cr. Owen concluded.'

SUMNER WELCOMED BY CITY MAYOR

A welcome to the people of Sumner now that they had decided to join the city was given by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. H. Andrews) in a statement last evening. Mr Andrews said he could assure Sumner that its interests would be watched and promises made by city councillors would be honoured.

Mr Andrews said* that all the beaches of Christchurch would now be under the control of the City Council. It was (he duty of the city to make them worthwhile playgrounds for the people of Christchurch.

For Against Inf. Wharenui 129 90 2 St. Hilda’s 164 34 0 St. Ninlan’s 146 198 13 Clarence road . 158 84 0 St. James’s ■ . 240 291 6 Town Hall 253 499 11 Totals ., > 1080 1156 32 Majority against 76 There are at least 15 declaration votes to be considered. Sumner Sumner .. 479 353 17 Redcliffs • 327 124 4 Christchurch 131 43 20