Riccarton Body Chooses Council Candidates

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31775, 4 September 1968, Page 16

Riccarton Body Chooses Council Candidates

The Riccarton Residents’ Association will put up nine candidates for election to the Riccarton Borough Council, and has chosen its chairman (Mr H. S. Cross) to stand for the Mayoralty. The association hopes to break the comnlete control the Riccarton Citizens’ Committee has held on the council for the last 12 years. In the last two elections Citizens’ Committee candidates have been elected without opposition from representatives of any other organised body. In the last election two persons opposed the committee by standing as independents. At a Dublin meeting last evening the Residents’ Association chose 10 candidates, one of whom will withdraw after the election committee has interviewed all candi dotes. Those chosen are Messrs T. K. Camnbell, R. T. Elliott, V. S. D. Fanning, H Sykes. G. F Sedcole and A E Langham and Mesdames H. E. Grieve. J. A. Sumpter and H Schofield.

Thirty persons attended the meeting. Mr Cross, the convener, said he was disappointed at the attendance in view of the amount of “moaning” he had heard about the present council. He said it appeared that membership of the Riccarton Borough Council was restricted to businessmen and Rotarians He had found that the existing council comprised men who made up the total membership of the Citizens’ Committee. Mr Cross criticised the

council for some of its previous actions, including the decision to pay $lO,OOO as part of the purchase price of a property adjoining “Mona Vale.” He described this action as unworthy of a council which was supposed to represent the ratepayers. Policy

He said the association was committed to keeping rates down and would oppose amalgamation. Having the lowest electricity tariffs in Christchurch the borough would gain nothing from amalgamation.

He said that the borough needed improved lighting, roads, footpaths, and playgrounds. The association, he said, has approached five businessmen in Riccarton asking them to stand for election as association representatives. All had refused because of their connections with the businessmen's organisation. Mr Cross said there was a distinction between one side of Riccarton Road and the other. Mrs Schofield would represent the other side.