Council replacement ‘should be Labour’

Press, 12 May 1980, Page 6

Council replacement ‘should be Labour’

A Labour Party councillor should be appointed to succeed Cr P. W. Anderson, said tire Christchurch Labour Mayoral candidate, Cr Mollie Clark, yesterday. Cr Clark said it would be a logical step for the City Council to appoint Mrs: Kathie Lowe, the only noncouncillor member of the party’s Pegasus Ward candidates, to replace Cr Anderson until the October local-body elections. At the same time, Mr P. D. Dunbar -— chairman of the works and traffic committee in the last council, and a Citizen’s Association member — said he would probably be available if asked to take up the interim appointment. Mr Dunbar polled fifthhighest in the 1977 local body elections, losing to Labour candidates who made a clean sweep of the Pegasus Ward’s four seats. There might be a council

debate on whether Cr Anderson’s replacement should be a Labour Party member, as of right, since the seat has 'been held by a Labour councillor. Cr Clark said the option of a by-election would probable not be accepted because of cost. It would cost up to 815,000 to hold such an eletion, and the new councillor would be in office only a few months before the main elections! ~ Her second choice would be to leave the position vacant, Cr Clark said, but that would leave Labour with a minority of nine councillors to 10 for the Citizen’s Association and that would not reflect the wish of voters at the 1977 elections, “The principle should stand that it will be a Labour appointment,” she said. Cr Anderson, who announced earlier that he would not be a candidate in the local-body elections this year.

is chairman of the Citj Council’s community service! committee. k

He will resign later thit month. A registered nurse 4 he will do advanced studiel in the North Island, including a course in maternity nuri sing at Wanganui. Cr Anderson is also a mem« her of the Christchurch Drainage Board. Because it is within sbj months of an election, local bodies can decide not to-re* place members who resign now. -•

Cr Clark said a Citizen’s Association suggestion that the next highest vote-getteS should get the apopintment “doesn’t hold water in this case” because the four Pega< sus Ward positions werd Labour seats,- ki

Even if the City Council made an appointment, public! notice would have tb'Tbei given, and the public could demand a poll if enough! names were put on a petition