SYDNEY TODAY HAS TWO LORD MAYORS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22820, 15 December 1948, Page 9

SYDNEY TODAY HAS TWO LORD MAYORS

(11 a.m.) SYDNEY, Dec. 15. For the first time in its history Sydney has two City Councils and two Lord Mayors at the same time. The retiring council will not have its final meeting until Monday and its Lord Mayor, Alderman 'R. J. Bartley, will remain in office until the end of the year.

The new council recently elected to control the enlarged city ar£a has had its first meeting and elected Alderman E. C. O’Dea as Lord Mayor. Until now the city has been administered under the City Corporation Act by which the new Lord Mayor does not take over his duties until January 1. The newly-divided city operates under the Local Government Act which provides for the elected Lord Mayor to take office immediately. Alderman Bartley says that although legally elected, Alderman O’Dea has no area over which to govern as the new city boundaries do not come into existence until next year. Alderman O’Dea, who is a Labour member of the State Legislative Council, is the first Labour Lord Mayor of Sydney for 20 years. In view of the increase in the city’s population as a result of the addition of eight municipaities, the Lord Mayor’s allowance was increased from £2500 to £3500 without opposition.