COMMENT BY MAYOR

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 26944, 21 January 1953, Page 6

COMMENT BY MAYOR

“NO REASON FOR CHANGE” TELEGRAM SENT TO MR HOLLAND “I am still unconvinced that there is any reason to interfere with the date of the elections,” said the Mayor (Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P.) last evening, when he was informed of the Government’s proposal to alter the date of the municipal elections from November 21 to October 31 (a Saturday). “I still think that all arrangements in every centre for the Royal visit will be made months before the elections,” Mr Macfarlane said that while the installation of the new Mayors and councillors did take time, the only centre affected would be Auckland if elections were held on November 21 as the Royal tour would begin on December 23. But provided that all arrangements were made for the Royal tour months ahead, surely the new Mayor and councillors could step in and take over, even if they were in office only a fortnight before the arrival of the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. All they had to do was the job of welcoming the Royal visitors. The suggested new date did keep the elections reasonably well clear of the finish of the international air race, but would make for a pretty short election campaign in Christchurch.

When Mr Macfarlane learned yesterday that the dates October 14 (a Wednesday) and October 17 (a Saturday) had been discussed as likely for the elections by the Mayor of Auckland (Sir John Allum) with the Secretary of Internal Affairs (Mr A r . G. Harper) he sent a telegram to the Prime Minister (Mr Holland). In it he expressed the view that any change in the date of the elections throughout New Zealand should be made at a conference between representatives of the Government and the Municipal Association.

Arrangements for Royal Tour Mr Macfarlane said in his telegram that he personally could see no reason for a change in the date, and also to hold an election anywhere near the date of the finish of the international air race would make a farce of the elections locally. “The Municipal Association executive was unable to decide about a change of date for the municipal elections and decided to bring the matter before the annual conference in Wellington in March,” said Mr Macfarlane. “Now it appears that the Mayor of Auckland is speaking on behalf of the association. Is he running the association or is the Government conferring exclusively with him on the date of the elections? Putting back the elections a month is not going to make any difference to arrangements for the Royal tour. Each centre will have its plans approved and arrangements made by the middle of this year. What is behind it all? I do not understand the reason for suggesting any change.” Mr Macfarlane said that if the Government decided on a change then the elections, should not be held within a fortnight of the finish of the international air race. The City Council had agreed unanimously that no change in the date was necessary, and he felt its views should be placed before the Prime Minister as Christchurch was entitled to as much consideration over the matter as Auckland.