CITIZENS WILL NOT CONTEST VACANCY

Press, Volume C, Issue 29508, 9 May 1961, Page 14

CITIZENS WILL NOT CONTEST VACANCY

A by-election will not be necessary on June 3 to fill the vacancy on the Christchurch City Council caused by the death of. Cr. W. J. Cowles unless an independent

candidate comes forward. At its annual meeting last evening, the Christchurch Citizens’ and Ratepayers’ Association resolved that, to save ratepayers the cost of a by-election, it would not nominate a candidate.

This leaves the field open for the Labour Party, which is expected to announce the name of its candidate today. Originally, it was belived that the Labour Party’s choice would be Mr R. M. Macfarlane, M.P., a former Mayor and councillor. But when the chairman of the Labour Representation Council (Mr R. Jones) was asked last evening to comment, he said that the matter would be dis cussed by him with Labour Party officials in Wellington today, and it was expected that the name of the candidate would be released then. Mr Jones said that the Labour Party had looked with disfavour at the idea of £4OOO being spent on a by-election, and it was pleasing that a sensible decision had been made by the Citizens’ Association.

There has recently been some feeling in Christchurch against a member of Par-

liament holding office in a local body, and it could be that the Labour Party is con sidering putting forward a younger man who has no other ties.

Although it seems likely at this stage that a by-election will not be necessary, there is nothing to stop an independent candidate from coming forward. At previous elec-

tions independents have stood.

“Anything that can be done at present to relieve the ratepayers of expense warrants very careful consideration, and we felt that with the present constitution of the council, and the fact that half its life has run, we should not put forward a candidate,” said the chairman of the Citizens’ Association’s general committee (Mr H. P. Smith) in a statement after the meeting. Asked what the attitude of the association would be if an mdepenent candidate came forward, Mr Smith said: “The association will not take part in it. We hope that no independent will come forward and the ra;epayers will be saved the expense.”