DEPUTY-MAYOR

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25365, 12 December 1947, Page 9

DEPUTY-MAYOR

♦ CR. CLARKE CERTAIN TO BE PROPOSED

COUNCIL COMMITTEE CHAIRMANSHIPS

The election of a deputy-fnayor by the Christchurch City Council will be made on Monday evening. It is clear that Cr. J. N. Clarke will be elected, although the Labour minority on the council may force a vote. Cr. Clarke’s nomination for the mayor’s deputy will be advanced by the representatives on the City Council of the Citizens’ Association, but he is unlikely to be appointed without opposition, as the Labour Party candidates, holding five seats on the council, may nominate Cr. G. Manning. It is extremely unlikely that any splitting of votes by Citizens’ nominees will take place on Monday, and the election of Cr. Clarke may be regarded as certain.

Secrecy surrounded the meeting yesterday of the 14 Citizens’ Association members of the council, and the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews), to make a proposal for a deputy-mayor at the first meeting of the new City Council. Cr. Clarke won a close ballot, the other nominee being Cr. J. L. Hay. Any Labour proposal for a deputymayor must be defeated. It was apparently decided at a meeting of the five Labour councillors that Cr. G. Manning should be nominated. The proposals of the Labour members for positions on committees of the council appear to have been accepted, but a straight-out Citizens’ v. Labour vote will be recorded if the Labour members persist in their resolve to nominate Cr. Manning for the deputymayoralty.

Committee Chairmen The most important committee of the City Council is the finance committee. Cr. M. E. Lyons, who was defeated for the mayoralty and did not stand for the council, was the last chairman. His successor will undoubtedly be Cr. J. E. Tait, a former mayor of Sumner and since amalgamation of the borough with the city, a member of the council. Cr. W. S. Mac Gibbon was also in the running for this position.

Cr. W. P. Glue, chairman of the works committee, is certain to be reelected to that position by the council when it appoints committees on Monday evening. The electricity committee will probably have as its chairman Cr. L. G. Amos, who has been one of the hardest critics of the M.E.D. without sitting on the committee. Cr. F. S. Wilding, chairman for the last three years, did not stand for re-election.

Cr. Clarke, besides being DeputyMayor, will retain his chairmanship of the reserves committee. In spite of the criticism of the recommendations of the traffic committee in the last three years. Cr. C. D. W. L. Sheppard is certain to be reappointed chairman. No dispute has taken place on the work - on the baths and entertainment committee, and Cr. R. G. Brown, who, like Cr. Clarke is free to devote himself to municipal work, is regarded as certain to be returned as chairman. Cr. Hay will probably be nominated to continue in office as chairman of the expansion and development committee. The remaining commitee chairmanship is that of the housing and town planning committee, not the least of the council’s committees. Cr. G. D. Griffiths, a practising architect, who has been chairman for the last three years, will doubtless be asked to continue. Committee Appointments No opposition to the constitutions of the committees may be expected from the Labour minority, because the five Labour members will probably find, when the Mayor nominates the committees on Monday evening, that they have been given seats on another committee in addition to those to w’hich thev suggested they should be appointed. Cr. Manning is likely to be elected to the finance and electricity committees. Cr. R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.. a former Mayor, will probably be on the finance, reserves, and housing commitPositions on the traffic, and development committees will doubtless be taken by Cr. J. Mathison, M.P. Cr. Green, who will be on the opposite side of the table to the only other woman on the council (Cr. Mary McLean), will probably find a place on the works, housing, and reserves committees. Cr. T. H. Butterfield, after some years off the council, may be appointed to the works, traffic, and baths and entertainment committees.