PROBLEMS FOR COUNCIL

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28129, 19 November 1956, Page 10

PROBLEMS FOR COUNCIL

CHOICE OF DEPUTYMAYOR

DAYS FOR COMMITTEE MEETINGS

The official result of the Christchurch Mayoral election is expected to be known in about two days, but it will probably be about 10 days before the final composition of the City Council is known.

Once the official result is known the council will meet: and with a Labour Mayor and a Citizens’ Association council there will be some problems not new, but which have not been faced for a long time. The first is bound to be the choice of a deputy-mayor. The present Deputy-Mayor (Mr G. Manning) was returned at the top of the poll on Saturday, as he was three years ago. Mr Macfarlane would obviously want Mr Manning to continue as his deputy; but it is unlikely that the Citizens’ councillors, would support him. If a deputy-mayor is elected from the Citizens' majority, Mr Macfarlane will find it hard, with his Parliamentary duties involving absences from Christchurch, to follow the actions of a predecessor. When the Rev. J. K. Archer was Mayor he had a Citizens’ councillor forced upon him as his deputy. Mr Archer determined that his deputy would not act in his stead on any occasion, and worked to that end.

The Mayor has all his Labour Parliamentary colleagues from the metropolitan area on the council. Citizens Association members in the past have protested against the practice of holding practically all committee meetings, and the meetings of some authorities connected with the council, on Mondays to fit in with the Parliamentarians. Now that they are in control. they will obviously hold committee meetings spread over the week, and during the Parliamentary sessions the Labour councillors may find difficulty in attending meetings of committees. Also probably involved in the ■change will be change of representation on such bodies as the Metropolitan Licensing Authority, the Christchurch Fire Board, the Milk Board, and the Regional Planning Authority, which have had Labour councillors as chairmen. The new Tunnel Road Authority will also have to be one of the early matters considered by the council.