COUNCIL VACANCY

Evening Post, Volume CXXII, Issue 99, 23 October 1936, Page 10

COUNCIL VACANCY

THREE CANDIDATES

SURPRISE NOMINATION

ELECTION SOON

When nominations for candidates tc j. fill the vacancy in the Wellington Citj is Council caused by the death of Coun i- cillor W. H. Bennett closed at noor 3- today, three nominations had been re n ceived. An election will consequent^ S be necessary, and will take place or " Wednesday, November 4. The candidates are: r- Mr. Thomas Forsyth " Mr. Bruce Alfred Mabin g Mr. John Read. 3> The selection of Mr. Read by the c Labour Kepresentation Committee as b V Labour candidate was announced yes--1 terday, and it was understood that the l- Wellington, Ratepayers' Association d would select a candidate, Mr, Forsytl: v being regarded as the probable selecs tion. The nomination of Mr. Mabin * as a third candidate came as a surprise. 1 Mr. Forsyth has had twelve years' experience as a councillor, Mr. Read ** has contested several of the Wellingv ton City Council elections, but Mr. '" Mabin is offering himself for election ■" for the first time. He, is secretary of 3 the Wellington Football Association, s and has always taken a keen interest 1 in all sporting activities, so it is probable that he wiir have something to say about the administration of reserves during the short election campaign. , Mr. Forsyth's " nomination was unanimously agreed upon by a meetj ing of the Ratepayers' Association held I at 4 p.m. yesterday, and he agreed to ' go to the poll when requested to do so ; this morning. I SUGGESTION NOT APPROVED. After the meeting of.the.Ratepayers' Association held yesterday afternoon to discuss the position and consider the selection of 'a, candidate, it was stated that citizens must regret that the labour Representation Committee had not seen fit to agree to the suggestion that the expense of an election should be avoided by the selection of Mr. T. Forsyth as a candidate, who would be unopposed, by the Labour Party. The election of Mr. Forsyth unopposed was a suggestion worthy of acceptance ,in !that his election would maintain the '. balance of interests that obtained I prior to-the death of the late Councillor W.-H: Bennett. Furthermore, Mr. L Forsyth was a candidate at the main . elections in May,' 1935, and polled almost 18,000 votes, which indicated that [he was not an untried man. Indeed, stated members, he had rendered splendid public service to the city in various public capacities. . . . ■ ; At the last by-election caused by the resignation of a Labour councillor the Ratepayers' Association —in order*-to avoid expense to citizens—agreed that a Labour nominee should be returned unopposed. A similar arrangement not having been agreed to by the Labour Representation Committee on this occasion it was necessary that a candidate quite free of particular party interests should be brought forward. NOMINATION ACCEPTED. Members of the Ratepayers' Association met at 10.30 today to request' Mr. Forsyth to accept nomination, and he agreed to go to the poll. : Mr.- H. .H: Miller presided, and said that they were asking Mr. Forsyth to' accept nomination because they believed him to be worthy of the trust of each and-every citizen. He was a capable accountant with a service to offer that could' be used to the advantage of the citizens' of Wellington in the administration of the city's affairs, and his public service in the past entitled • him to continued public recognition. •He had, for a long period, served the city with untiring energy, finding his reward in work well done. ■ "We ask him," said Mr. Miller, "because the testimonials of present councillors, regardless of party, and past councillors, too, reclaim Thomas Forsyth to be one of the most efficient men who have been. privileged to sit at the council table.".(Applause.) Mr. Forsyth had never been a man to curry favour, Mr. Miller continued, and it was possible that his frank: and rather unusual' niethod of reply to critics was apt at times to make him misunderstood to. his own, disadvantage/but on merit alone he was entitled to the complete confidence of all who had the welfare of the city at heart. , • , PARTY POLITICS NOT WANTED. "I know that it is the. desire of all thoughtful citizens that as far as possible municipal administration should be kept clear of party politics," said Mr. Miller, "and in asking Mr. Forsyth to accept nomination we feel, that, if a candidate) he will fight a fair clean fight,' hoping for success only that he may continue to serve—as in the past— without bias in any one direction." They were not conferring a favour upon Mr. Forsyth by asking him to accept nomination, ■ Mr. Miller said. They were.rather asking him to accept heavy responsibilities, but they did that in the full belief that there had never been greater, need for the public of Wellington to be placed in the hands of men in whom the people had complete trust. ' Mr. Forsyth's work on the City Council, the Wellington Education Board, on the College Council, with the Technical College Board, in business, and in his church i would bear the steady scrutiny of his fellow-citizens. . Mr.. R. .'L. Macalister said he .was satisfied they, could .not have a better representative,to go to the poll than Mr. Forsyth, and expressed the hope that the ratepayers and. citizens in general would give him unstinted support. He urged .those present to form a-strong committee to-work for Mr. Forsyth's election; if they did not work hard, he said, the Labour Party would capture the city and that would not be in the best interests of Wellington. BALANCE IN COUNCIL. In accepting nomination Mr. Forsyth said- that he did so with a certain amount of diffidence. He was not concerned about the prospects of success or defeat, however, and he felt that the balance in the council before Mr. Bennett's death should be continued during the present term. When the last vacancy occurred he had been asked to. contest the seat by a number of citizens, but had refused because he considered Mr. Parlane should fill the vacancy caused by the retirement of a Labour member. At the same time he maintained that national politics should be kept out of municipal elections because' he considered such party divisions were not in the interests of a local body. He and his opponent (Mr. Read) had been the best of friends for many years, and he was quite sure that the contest would not alter that friendship. He 'did not consider that the Labour niembers had priority because two had been ahead of him at the last election. It had ■ been admitted that those candidates were not available on the present occasion and if the right of priority was to hold he was next' t

in. succession. It was for the citizens to decide who should represent'them and, while it would have v^en to their [ financial advantage to avoid an election, fate had decided otherwise. In. conclusion Mr. Forsyth said that he hoped the; citizens' would elect the man they considered the better. He had had twelve years' experience as a councillor, and if his service was of any value to the city.he was prepared to devote his time to the city's affairs. Mr. Forsyth first entered the City Council in 1919 and served continuously until 1925. He was elected again in 1929- and became chairman of the works committee. He was defeated at the last election, when he came fourth in the list of unsuccessful candidates. He was chairman of the Wellington Education Board for a number of years and has served on other local bodies. ~..■,•■ FOR CITY DEVELOPMENT. Mr. B. A., Mabin informed "The Post". today that he had entered the contest for .the vacant position on the council because he had definite ideasabout city improvement and wanted to work for them if given an opportunity. He was keenly interested in the improvement of the heart of the city, and was in favour of the area around the Basin Reserve being cleared up by the time the Centennial Exhibition takes place in 1940. Tepid swimming baths and playing areas for the youth of the city were required and would have to be supplied at some time, and he was in favour of an exhibition scheme that would lead to permanent facilities being provided in the centre of the city. Mr. Mabin is a native of Wellington, being born here 44 years ago. He was educated in Wellington and has spent his life here, with the exception of six years when he was at Auckland and in America. He commenced his business career in a tourist agency in 1908, but became assistant secretary at the Wellington V.M.C.A. in 1915; He was particularly interested in the sporting activities of youths, and was sent to Auckland in 1916 to engage in the establishment of young men in suitable employment there. In 1921' he was in the United States and Canada studying conditions there, ami , then returned to Wellington. in 1922 ■ to.resume his youth employment work until 1928. He was metropolitan secretary of the Boy. Scout movement under the late Sir Alfred Robin, mid has been secretary of the Wellington ; Football Association for eleven years. When he first took- over the ' position i iie was responsible for the acquisition ! d£ the Basin Keserve for Association ii football, and was also instrumental in i securing the ' Kilbirnie Stadium tor game., '~ .', ,