WELLINGTON’S MAYOR

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28129, 19 November 1956, Page 13

WELLINGTON’S MAYOR

MR F. J. KITTS WINS ELECTION LABOUR ASCENDANCY IN CITY COUNCIL (Netr< Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 18. Mr F. J. Kitts, the Labour candidate, is Wellington’s new Mayor. In a light poll on Saturday he gained 14,213 votes and a majority of 2789 over the nearest of his three opponents —Mr E. R. Toop, the Citizens’ Association candidate. Standing as an independent, the sitting Mayor (Sir Robert Macalister) was a close third, with 10,452 votes, 3761 behind Mr Kitts and 972 behind Mr Toop. Another independent candidate, Mr W. J. Hyde, gained 716 votes. Mr Kitts is Opposition member of Parliament for Wellington Central. He is the first Labour Mayor of the capital since Mr David McLaren held the office for about a year in 1912. Mr Kitts’s victory gave the Labour Party control of the City Council. Though eight Citizens’ Association and only seven Labour councillors were elected, the Labour Party, with the deliberative and casting votes of the Mayor, has an effective majority on the council for the first time. On the previous council there were nine Citizens’ Association and six Labour councillors. Labour retained control of the Lower Hutt City Council. Mr P. Dowse was re-elected Mayor, and all the 15 city councillors are Labour supporters.

POWER BOARDS NORTH CANTERBURY Eyre county, part of Waimairi county and part of Kaiapoi borough: J. S. Doak .. 310 (Elected) ♦G. H. D. Lintott .. .. 264 Cheviot county and part Kalkoura county: *W. R. Bainbridge .. 270 (Elected) C. H. Upham .. . . 78 Elected Unopposed.—Ashley county: *H. T. Mitchell. Amuri county: *A. C. Robinson. Oxford county: T. A. Doody. Kowai county: *A. Burke. Rangiora county: *A. M. Carpenter, *L. G. Stokes. Waipara county: *J. W. Earl and *H. V. Murray. MALVERN Selwyn constituent district: *H. C. Greenwood .. 181 •G. H. Hall .. .. 177 (Elected) T. M. Richards .. .. 112 Elected Unopposed. Malvern county: *J. F. Lawrey, *R. C. Townshend and J. H. K. Woodhouse. SPRINGS-ELLESMERE Elected Unopposed. Ellesmere county (including Southbridge towndistrict), Leeston town district and part of Selwyn county: *D. J. Ridden and *J. A. Scott. Springs county and part Halswell county: *T. F. Carter. BANKS PENINSULA Elected Unopposed.—Mount Herbert county, Diamond Harbour, and part Heathcote county: *E. J. Jekyll. Akaroa county: D. O. Masefield, *H. W. Menzies, and *W. A. Newton. Akaroa borough: *R. Bruce. RABBIT BOARDS Ashley ♦J. A. G. Fulton .. .. 208 *H. K. Barwell .. .. 205 *P. A. Lundy .. .. 200 *G. Harper .. .. 173 W. Russell .. .. 171 (Elected) •J. B. Ensor .. •• 158 Hurunui ♦W. H. B. Brown .. .. 356 ♦C. McCaskey .. .. 335 *W. R. E. Booker .. 316 *J. Sloss .. .. 294 •J. E. Fletcher .. .. 277 (Elected) T. G. Maxwell .. .. 266 Informal .. .. 17 Hanmer Springs K. C. Ensor .. .. 33 W. L. Orange .. .. 33 B. Savill .. .. 33 J. L. Stevenson .. .. 33 D. H. Atkinson .. .. 19 (Elected) C. G. Smith .. .. 14 FOUR PEAKS •R. E. H. Beattie .. .. 215 •G. B. S. Mackenzie .. 213. •V. G. M. Prattley .. .. 210 •J. Riddell .. .. 203 •E. S. Elworthy .. .. 178 *L. B. Trumper .. .. 168 A. J. Salt .. .. 155 . (Elected) ♦T. A. Bruce .. .. 147