Council Will Name Deputy-Mayor Soon

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30892, 27 October 1965, Page 1

Council Will Name Deputy-Mayor Soon

When the City Council holds its inaugural meeting next Monday, one of its duties will be to appoint committees, another to appoint a deputy-mayor.

The Citizens’ Association, which again has the say on the council to the tune of 12 votes to seven, appoints a majority of each committee and one of its councillors as chairman.

Citizens’ .councillors have met and decided on the composition of the committees. Next, the Labour councillors will decide which of them will be allocated to each committee. The committees will be completed by the time of the first meeting.

Not so readily tailored Is the position of deputy-mayor This is a position which has been held by Cr. H. P Smith, chairman of the finance committee. since 1959, when he was defeated by Mr G. Manning. Cr. Smith finished fifteenth on the list at the recent election His drop in the poll is also reflected in a slight drop in support among his Citizens' I colleagues.Cr. A. R. Guthrey, chairman of the works committee, who topped the poll on October 9 could have the deputymayoralty if he wanted it: but business commitments are understood to weigh more importantly with him at present. Cr. P. J. Skellerup. chairman of the reserves committee, and the unsuccessful Citizens’ candidate for the mayoralty, would like the position. He has some support within his party.

If the Citizens’ councillors' “caucus” has not been unanimous on nominating Cr. Smith, then Cr. Skellerup will probably be chosen at the meeting next Monday. He has enough Citizens’ councillors on his side and can count on votes from the Labour side of the table where there would be votes against Cr. Smith in favour of anyone else.

The position of deputymayor carries little prestige in Christchurch, and also little work, for Mr Manning is most

assiduous in his duties and misses few official functions There will be some amalgamation of committees. Baths, libraries and art gallery will probably go back to one coifimittee. The off-street parking committee will probably have ’ls. task merged with that of the traffic department now that the council is well on the way with the building of its two parking buildings. Two chairmanships have to be filled as Cr. G. D. Griffiths (town planning) and Cr. T. 1 D Flint (traffic) were defeated. Cr. W. P. Glue, the veteran councillor, is the obvious choice for the town planning position, although Mr Glue laid down a committee chair man’s job three years ago in favour of being an “elder statesman." Cr. Griffiths's absence leaves him as the only Citizens' councillor with the town planning knowledge and time to take on the job. It was thought shortly after the election that Cr- 11. G Hay would be the choice for chairman of the traffic com

mittee. It is believed that it was his if he wanted it; but that he prefers to stay as chairman of the town hall committee. a job that will increase in importance in the next few years.

That leaves two former councillors with claims to the position—Cr. L. G. Amos and Cr G. D. Hattaway. On length of experience and on the score of having been chairman of the electricity committee. Cr. Amos may have the -tronger claim