Chairman of Harbour Board defeated

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32734, 11 October 1971, Page 2

Chairman of Harbour Board defeated

The big surprise of the election in the city for the Lyttelton Harbour Board was the defeat of Mr F. I. Sutton, a member for 15 years and chairman for the last three.

Mr Sutton, whose father was also chairman of the board at one time and who is well known in the city and the port, was most enthusiastic in his work and spent many hours at the board’s office.

He was recently elected president of the New Zealand Harbours’ Association, becoming the first South Islander to hold the position. Labour took four of the five seats, and in doing so unseated three sitting members, Messrs F. G. K. Gilchrist and N. Whyte, as well as Mr Sutton. In the last election only the former Mayoi (Sir George Manning) won a seat, and he retired this vear. He has been followed by the new Mayor (Mr N. G. Pickering), who has as his colleagues a former Mavor (Mr R. M. Macfariane), who was unsuccessful three years ago, Mr H. E. Denton, a veteran local body member who lost his seat at the last election, and a newcomer, Mr D. R. Dowell, until recently Mayor of Timaru.

The only other election necessary was for the WaimairiRiccafton seat, where the sitting member, Mr L. G. Amos, a former chairman, retained his seat by a comfortable margin. AU the other members,

from country areas, were returned unopposed. There is one vacancy to be filled by appointment because of the death of Mr W. B. Laing after he had been unopposed as the representative of Lyttelton and the Banks Pensula counties. Election night figures are: City N. G. Pickering (L.) .. 25,850 •A. R. Champion (C.) .. 23,623 R. M. Macfariane (L.) .. 22,884 H. E. Denton (L.) .. 22,208 D. R. Dowell (L.) .. 20,923 (Elected) •F. I. Sutton (C.) .. 20,253 G. W. Lowrie (L.) .. 17,113 A. G. Williams (C.) .. 17,026 •F. G. K. Gilchrist (C.) 16,442 •N. W. Whyte (C.) .. 15,436 R. H. Stillwell (I.) .. 12,633 Walmairi-Riccarton •L. G. Amos .. 9,105 (Elected) L G. Clark .. 7,157

Elected unopposed.—Paparua, Malvern, Ellesmere, and Heath-* cote counties: *G. E. Wright, *R. I H. Bedford. Cheviot, Amuri, Ashley, and Waipara counties: •A. A. Macfariane. Kaiapoi and Rangiora boroughs and Eyre, Oxford and Rangiora counties: *J. E. Mannering. Ashburton county and borough: ’J. Brand, *R. G. Gerard.

Catchment board

The three city members of the North Canterbury Catchment Board, Dr W. R. Holmes, Messrs D. B. Dallas and R. F. Stead, were re-elected unopposed and it is likely that Dr Holmes, who was deputy chairman and chairman of the finance committee, will be elected chairman to succeed Mr A. T. Bell, who has retired. Mr R. M. D. Johnson, who retired after 26 years on the board, is succeeded by his son, Mr R. B. Johnson. Other sitting members were reelected and other new members are Messrs T. Double (Waimairi) and T. H. Grigg, from Amuri and Cheviot counties. Details: Ashlay, Oxford and Kalpara counties •J. M. Pickering 2,348 (Elected) J. H. A. Hollis 932 J. J. Allison 755 R. M. Mathers .. 600 Malvern county R. B. Johnson .. 1,943 (Elected) N. Q. Wright 1,841 Waimairi county T. Double .. 13,684 (Elected) G. C. R. Pannell .. 13,056 Elected unopposed.—Ellesmere, Akaroa, Wairewa counties: *O. R. Chamberlain. Paparua, Heathcote and Mount Herbert counties: *R. H. Mackenzie. Amuri and Cheviot counties: H. T. Grigg. Kaiapoi and Rangiora boroughs, Eyre and Rangiora counties: *M. J. O. Dixon.