The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1919.

Evening Star, Issue 17032, 1 May 1919, Page 4

The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 1, 1919.

Thb very decided majority (nearly l,aX) votes) cast in favor of Local Cocncillcr W. Begg was the Elections, surprise of the announcement made last evening as to the result of the polling for the City mayoralty. As we stated recently when referring" to the addresses delivered by the four aspirants to the position, no question of policy was involved in the contest, and the voters wees merely Being called on to consider the personal merits of candidates and the municipal services rendered by them. The contest was conducted' temperately, but one of the candidates put considerable " ginger " into the fight. He wm undoubtedly making such a favorable impression that a vreek ago las return was regarded as certain; but over-zeal caused what wa3 described somewhat heatedly at ihs hustings last night as "gallery play." and undoubtedly contritated to bis defeat. We reeret to notice that Councillor Blaci took his reverse so much to heart as to indicate his complete severance from local affairs. Councillor Gilkison, on the other land, accepted bis defeat in a gjKxrtmaanllkei spirit, and intimated that white he ceased to be a menibsr of the City Council he would still take active interest in the Free Public Library and in ■ifgxa. ptoanlng.. iMlt jSteronsoa has ; b#aa

, elected by a substantial majority as Mayor ■ | of Port Chalmers over Mr Scollay, who 1 I has now been defeated on two successive • j occasions; and Mr Edgar (though, ho did , I not trouble to address the electors) manl aged to secure a further term of office at St. Kilda, where he polled more than the - combined votes of his two opponents. The pleasing feature of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board elections is the position occupied by tho lady candidates. All four were returned. It is on such a body that women's work should prove especially benefici.il. Another satisfactory point is the return of Dr Newlands. Tho retirement of Dr Roberts, which has just taken place, left the membership of tho . board without a. solitary medical represen- ■ tative In the event of, say, a recurrence of the influenza. outbreak of last year, this •would have been an unfortunate position. ■ The contest for tho Harbor Board may be dismissed with the remark that it is to be regretted that one of the candidates proposed did not see his way to " pull out," and so save the unnecessary expenditure of the several hundred pounds involved. Only half a dozen candidates came forward, and there were five va* cancies. The Dimedin City Council, containing as we have already pointed out five ex-Mayors, ought to prove an unusually capable body. Tho pity of the thing is that St. Kilda still stands out as a separate municipality. A Greater Dunedin, including this borough, is a desired consummation.