Council nominations stable, sparse

Press, 30 August 1986, Page 9

Council nominations stable, sparse

Local body nominations closed at midday yesterday, and in spite of much heated local body debate in the last year, there are no big surprises. Five independents are taking their chances in the Christchurch City Council elections, but they made their intentions clear some weeks ago. The Christchurch mayoralty is again a threehorse race, although no punter would put much on Mr Chris Hansen, standing for the sixth time under the Economic Euthenics banner.

The big money will be on Sir Hamish Hay (Citizens) and Mr Alex Clark (Labour). Can Sir Hamish secure a fifth term, even if a shortened one because of amalgamation? The City elections have a full ticket from both Citizens and Labour plus the independents. Other councils face problems getting enough candidates. Two Christchurch local authorities will not re-

quire elections this year. There were no challenges in Riccarton Borough to either the eight councillors or the Mayor, Mr Richard Harrington, who will now have a seventh term in office. As in 1983, no election will be needed in Heathcote County. But the new council will be entirely male because of the retirement of Ms Margaret Buchanan. Her replacement will be Mr Alex Smith. Other councils which will not need elections are Akaroa County and Wairewa County. The Takamatua Riding of Akaroa County did not receive any nominations

and its councillor will be chosen in a by-election or by appointment after election day. Six of Paparua County’s eight rural ridings will not require an election. A former chairman of Waimairi District, Mr Barry Rich, is one of five nominations for the District’s Belfast Riding,

which returns one councillor.

Mr Rich was District Chairman for 17 years before he lost his council seat in the 1983 elections. He is standing this year as the only candidate for the Independents Against Amalgamation.

Eleven council candidates, including the present chairman, Mrs Margaret Murray, are standing for the Waimairi Independence Team.

Three councillors are not seeking re-election this year: Messrs John Darby, Norm Skevington and Philip Carter.

One of Waimairi’s sitting councillors, Mr Arthur Adcock, was the

only nomination for the Styx Riding.

Thirteen candidates are after the nine seats around Lyttelton Borough’s council table, although the Mayor, Mr Mel Foster, has been reelected unopposed. The Mayor of Kaiapoi, Mr Howard Cumberland, will have two familiar opponents; both Mr Hec McAllister and Mr C. W. Hodgson were mayoral candidates in 1983. The ad hoc authorities’ nominations include that of the former commander of the Christchurch police district, Mr George Twentyman, as a Citizens candidate for the Canterbury Hospital Board.