Local Bordy Elections

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 198, 19 May 1941, Page 8

Local Bordy Elections

ONLY ONE SEAT Labour On Auckland City Council MAYORAL CONTEST Election Of Mr. J. A. C. Allum

(By Telegraph—Press .Association.) AUCKLAND, May 17.

The contest for the Auckland city mayoralty resulted in the election of Mr. J. A. C. Allum (Citizens’ candidate), retiring deputymayor, who, with a vote of 16,244, had. a majority of 1332 over Mr. J. Sayegh (Labour), his most serious rival.

The outstanding feature of the election of members of the Auckland City Council was the almost complete defeat of the ticket put forward by the official Labour Party.

In all there were 48 candidates for 21 seats, and of those 21 were put forward by the Citizens and ratepayers and a similar number by the Labour Party. Mr. R. Armstrong, a former Labour member of the council, stood as an independent Labour candidate, and there were three other Independents and two Communists. The Citizens’ Association secured the return of 20 of its candidates and the Labour Party succeeded in winning only one seat, Mrs, M. M. Dreaver, a retiring member of the council, being re-elected. Three other sitting members who sought re-election on the Labour ticket were defeated, these being Mr. Anderton, M.P., Mr. Carr, M.P., and Mr. J. J. Sullivan. Eight of the Citizens’ representatives who sat in the previous council and sought reelection were returned.

The retiring chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. A. J. Moody, retained his seat on the board from a Labour candidate by 131 votes on the provisional count. The board now comprises three Citizens’ representatives ami two Labour members, reversing the position that obtained before the election.

HEAVY DEFEAT

Labour Party Setback In

Christchurch

MAYORALTY LOST

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 18.

Labour was overwhelmingly beaten in the municipal elections in Christchurch yesterday. It lost the mayoralty and control of the city council, suffered a heavy reduction in its representation on the Christchurch Tramway Board, lost three of its four city seats for the Lyttelton Harbour Board and won only three of 10 city seats for the North Canterbury Hospital Board, on which previously its representation was six. In a small poll Mr. E. IT. Andrews, Citizens’ Association mayoral candidate, had a comfotrable lead of 1.192, votes from the Labour candidate. .Mr. E. Parlane. Mr. J. K. Moloney. Independent, who headed what he called a “win-the-war group,” gained 4672 votes. Mr. G. T. Rodda. Independent, lost his deposit. The extent of the Labour loss is best measured in the city council, where Labour has four seats out of 16. whereas in the last council it had 10. T’he de •■(!■■■ r votes at meetings of the tramway beard may now rest with two independent members.. Messrs. W. J. Walter and A. A. McLachlan, as in yesterday's election the six city seats were divided equally among Labour and Citizens’ Association candidates. Another Labour member. Sergeant J. S. Barr, is serving overseas, lit the previous Ireard. seven of nine members were, Labour supporters. Mr. H. E. Denton. Labour, chairman, and Corporal R. M. Macfarlane. retiring mayor, deputy-chairman, lost their seats. This was tlie only seal Corporal Macfarlane contested. Mrs. Macfarlane stood unsuccessfully for both the hospital board and city council.

DUNEDIN VOTING

Labour Loses Ground DR. McMILLAN TWICE FAILS (By TcJegraph —Press Association.! DUNEDIN, May 18. Labour lost one representative on each of the city local bodies. The Citizens’ candidate. Mr. A. 11. Alien, retained the mayoralty, defeating Dr. McMillan, M.T. The voting was: Allen, 13,085: McMillan, 12,524. On the city council tile Citizens’ Association. which did not oppose Lieu-teiit-Conimander P. G. Connolly, now on active service, obtained nine of tiie 1seats. The Citizens’ Association also has a majority of six to one on the hospital board. Among the defeated candidates was Dr. McMillan. Mis. M< Millan, a sitting member, lost her seat. Out of a roll of 41.918. only 2G.il.> cast their votes in the mayoral election.