CITY MAYORALTY

Evening Star, Issue 23882, 12 May 1941, Page 2

CITY MAYORALTY

ADDRESS BY MRS ORPAH JONESNEILSON Mrs Orpali Jones-Neilson, independent candidate for the city mayoralty, addressed a meeting of about 50 electors on Saturday afternoon, Mrs Gertrude Page presiding. _ Mrs Jones-Neilson said she had invited Mr A. H. Allen and Dr D. G. M'Millau, the other candidates for the mayoralty, to attend the meeting. Mr Allen had replied thanking her for her invitation hut regretting a previous appointment prevented his being present. Dr M'Millan had sent her a .telegram regretting that he could not attend owing to a previous appointment. but had suggested that in the interests of the citizens she should withdraw from ■ the contest, and not split votes. , Mrs Jones-Neilson expressed her indigatiou at the* action of Dr M'Millan in daring to speak for the whole of the citizens. Considering the many activities in which Dr M'Millan was-engaged and the fact that he had had to drop some owing to ill-health, she did not think he was a suitable candidate for the mayoralty. It was a great pity that a man had not been chosen from the capable Labour men who could have given whole-time service to the position for which the doctor was offering himself. Mr Allen had said that she had a perfect right to offer herself as mayor, the same as any other man or woman in'the city. The opinion was expressed by a woman present that.Dr M'Millan’s telegram should not have been read to the meeting, as she understood it was private and personal. To that remark Mrs Jones-Neilson replied that the election was a public matter affecting the whole of the citizens, and she did not intend to go into a “ huddle ” with Dr M'Millan to decide who were to be the candidates. Approval was expressed of Mrs Jones-Neilson’s attitude. The candidate spoke of the need of reorganising women’s rest rooms and of the need of provision of safety zones and shelters for passengers at bus and tram stops. She would not make any false promises, but if returned she would do all she could for the welfare of all sections of the community. At the moment it seemed that before very long the majority of the citizens would he composed of women, children, and elderly persons. She had been accustomed for years to discuss the important questions concerning the activities of tile city. She had attended conferences in Great Britain and hero with statesmen of every shade of opinion. In co-opcration with the town clerk, the heads of departments, the chairmen of committees, and the deputy-mayor, she felt fully capable of undertaking the mayoral position.

The candidate was accorded a vote of thanks.