LOWER HUTT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 101, 30 April 1914, Page 3

LOWER HUTT

MR. H. BALDWIN ELECTED. Unusual interest centred in the election for the Hutl Mayoralty yesterday. Throughout the day the polling officials were kept busy, and. as was generally anticipated, the polling was very heavy. The number on the roll was 3131, and of these 1481 exercised their rights. Long before the announcement of the first figures, a large crowd had assembled outside the Town Hall, and as the returns came in they were made known from the balcony by the returning officer (Mr. W. Nicholson). The return from the Wellington booth arrived at 7.22, and by 7.45 the complete figures were received. Details of the voting are as follow : — [ Central Wei- Railway I Booth. lington. Avenue. Total. Baldwin ... 340 78 167 585 Dawson ... 273 126 134 533 Purdy ... 170 22 109 301 Informal 15 0 7 22 Mr. Baldwin was thus ekcted by a majority of 52 votes. After the declaration of the poH Mr. Baldwin briefly thanked those assembled for the honour they had done him. Ho remarked that he could not promise them any fancy schemes, but would always try to do his best to further the interests of the borough. The fight, lie said, had been a clean-fought one, and he congratulated the unsuccessful candidates on the way they had conducted the campaign. Dr. Purdy and Mr. Dawson also stepped forward and congratulated Mr. Baldwin upon his success. Cheers were given for all three candi-da-tes. Mr. Baldwin, who has resided in the Hutt for a considerable number of years, twice previously contested the Mayoralty, being defeated by the retiring Mayor (Mr. E. P. Bunny) in 1911 and 1912. He is one of the best-known figures in Lower Hutt, being at the present time chairman of the Hutt River Board, Hutt Park Committee, and Hutt District High School Committee, secretary of the local fire .brigade, and treasurer and Hutt representative on the Wellington Hospital and Charitable Aid Board. He has also occupied a seat on the Hutt Borough Council. s