RESULTS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

Grey River Argus, 9 May 1935, Page 5

RESULTS OF MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

HEAVY POLLING IN ALL PARTS

SATURDAY HALF HOLIDAY CARRIED CHANGES IN THE HOSPITAL BOARD

There was a record polling at yesterday's municipal and otjier local body elections throughout the West Coast and also in most other parts of the Dominion. In Greymouth there was very keen interest evinced, as denoted by the voting of approximately 3,500 electors out of a roll total of 4,880. the percentage of more than 75 being a high one. As in other centres, the weather here was perfect. which was an inducement for the people To vote. It was remarkable how early the voting began, ami how yteadily it proceeded throughout the day, so that there was little semblance of a last hour rush. There not. only was a steady stream of voters afoot, but nioTbr cars in plenty were at the beck of electors, several of ihe candidates as well as the organisations interested in the polling placing vehicles at their disposal. The entry of Cobden into the borough, the “new blood” among t,hc candidates. ancT the nature of the new issues raised were all factors which contributed not only to swell the polling, but also to cause much uncer*ainiv Us to the outcome in more than one instance. Especially was this the ease with the Mayoral contest, from which Air W. Meldrum emerged the victor, although he was run closely by Mr F. A. Kitehingham. the majoritv being many morp than one | hundred votes. The Borough Council election was an object of speculation more in regard to the topping of the poll than to the tailing of i\ The new Deputy-Mayor of Grevmouth is Mr A. H. McKano. who had been for .long the Chairman of the Cobden Town Board, and the same candidate was also successful in each of the other contests in which he took part. Tho remainder of the old Borough Council who stood again were also successful, with, one exception, while the new members to be elected are Messrs G. R. Harker, A. TT. Paterson and A. M. Carroll. The Power Board election slid not witness much change. Messrs W. TT. Parfitt, F. L. Turley and J. B. Kent (sitting members) and Mr A. 11,. McKane (a new member) wore elected. There was a good deal of interest in the election for the Hospital Board in the town, and the result was that Messrs A. Mosley. F. L. Turley and J. B Kent (sitting nembers). and Messrs F. F. Boustridge and A. H. McKano wore returned 1o the Board two of the sitting members, Mrs K. T. O'Brien and Mr

J. Kyle, being defeated. Saturday Aalf-holiday was carried at Greymouth by the narrow majority of 144, ’he voting hein? 1763 in favour of Saturdav and 1619 in favour of Wednesday, Thp present half-day. Probably ’his result was contrary to the expectations of a majoritv. but the advocates of the change championed their cause morp effective Than they imagined, and in the event it proved to have wider sympathy than was indi-

cated at the outset. The majority in favour of Saturday was 144. The new' half-holiday will comp into practice three months hence, Hie first Saturday in August. Outside of Grevmouth the district rolling followed largely on linos that wore anticipated. The old members of the Countv Council who had contests wore all re-elected, whilst five other members, Crs. J. W. Hannan W Ogilvie, G. Blair, J. Ryall and AATcDonnell were re-elected unopposed. Messrs n. G. Carter and J. Mulcare wore re-elected as Countv ropresonta-

MR. MELDRUM MAYOR OF GREYMOUTH

tives on the Hospital Board, on which Mr A. Robinson replaces Mr A. DonneUan (a sitting member). Mr A. Robinson is a new member, t.o take a seat oh Ihe Grey Electric Power Board, .as a County representative, Mr 11. G. Carter (a sitting member) being defeated. The two other si-t- -* i ngTeprcsentativcs, Messrs W. Clayton and J. Mulcare, were returned. Mr J. Smeaton. Mayor of Brunner, Mr R. MeTaggart, Mayor of Runanga, Air 11. Hamer, Mayor of Kumar a, and Mr J. Kilkenny, Mayor of Westport, wire all re-elected. Mr J- Smeaton won the new seat for the Brunner Borough on the Grey Hospital Board and was re-elected to the Power Board, for the Runanga seat on which Air J. Unwin defeated Mr H. Duggan (sitting member). The Grey Hospital Board personnel will comprise the following: Messrs R. MeTaggart (Runanga), J. Smeaton (Brunner), A. Mosley. P. L. Turley, A. IT. McKano, F. F. Boustridge, J. B. Kent (Greymouth Borough), A. Robinson- J. Mulcare and H. G. Carter (Grev County). On the completion of the counting of the large number of votes recorded, which was after midnight, the now Mayor, and nearly all of the elected and defeated candidates spok» 'from Radio Station 3ZR returning thank s "'for the support accorded them and assuring citizens of their best of forts in tjieir various offices during hhe forthcoming term. The Mayoral candidates also spoke at the Opera House. Buller elections included the return of the old Hospital Board members for the Council, and the restriction of the franchise militated greatly against the candidates nominated by t,hp minors’ organisations. Three new members. Messrs O’Dea, Bird and Thomas were ' elected to Westport Borough Council- while six old members were returned. The sitting Mayor, Mr J. Kilkenny, Ifad a handsome win. Tn Tnangahua, there was only a slight change, in the County Council and there" was practically no change in the Brunner district municipal repre srntation, and not much alteration al Runanga. Kumara likewise retained its old representation for the most part. At Hokitika new aspirants were successful On the Borough Council and other local bodies. Mr H. L. Michel heading the poll for the former and Air TT. T. Parrv for the Hospital Hoard. Tn the Countv Council of Westland, the onlv change that ’he ballot box caused was in the Southern Riding, ATr Brown, a new candidate. displacing ATr Searle.

(TREYMOVTTI M.A YORALTY a a H-4 aS S <c h~; o h-H Town Hal) 591 702 299 19 Old Tech. School 217 241 49 3 Blaketown Schoo] 93 132 104 2 United Pavilion 281 162 53 5 Cobden 135 183 171 10 Totals 1317 1420 676 39 A total of 3452 votes were cast out of a roll number of 4880. drum’s majority fo 103. Mr Mel-

HALF HOLIDAY POLL. o > H 02 £ § o R p* CD 'l — rt 2 E O tr* E-i ■— Monday 1 0 0 0 0 1 Tuesday 0 0 11 0 o 0 Wednesday 810 2+9 191 124 245 1619 Thursday 1 fl (I 1 0 2 Friday 9 1 1 0 1 5 Saturday 7 68 °53 295 19.S 2-19 1763 Informal 26 7 11 S 5 60 Hospital Board GREYMOUTH REPRESENTATIVES co r*—’ o P4 fc co o r~* c o £ y; EH P s o H A. Mosley 874 301 367 225 303 2070 F. L. Turley 798 205 307 213 305 1888 F. F. Boustridge 738 254 288 183 201 1664 A. H. McKane ‘ 654 201 212 121 280 1468 J. B. Kent 735 181 132 109 153 1310 J. Kyle 715 190 151 90 138 1284 A. E. Morgan 443 189 253 118 180 1183 Mrs K. T. O’Brien 631 195 112 85 100 1123 E. V. Arthur 406 154 228 97 141 1026 A. Naylor 386 130 99 67 100 782 Informal 143 35 40 35 59 312 POWER BOARD. GREYMOUTH REPRESENTATIVES OQ £ ? Si o flj o H P E 3 rt O H • W. II. Parfitt 1112 372 395 238 306 2423 A. H. McKane 907 318 355 209 363 2152 F. L. Tur lev '861 280 304 231 339 2015 J. B. Kent 989 296 272 184 263 2004 A. M. Carroll 896 295 259 148 182 1780 1 A. McCarthy 508 160 122 83 152 1025 : Informal 41 10 10 5 9 75

GREYMOUTH BOROUGH COUNCIL. t=3 o o £ ci C- & hh X c pi Q a> A. H. McKane £ s O H 1042 338 368 '207 397 2352 F. F. Boustridge 1031 376 381) 09 Q 321 2346 G. R. Harker 1043 3 3< 3,9.1 213 •>O() 2313 R- J. Williams 970 333 391 176 313 2183 J. B. Kent 1050 310 295 18G 288 2129 J. McGinley 973 330 312 233 266 2114 A. II. Paterson 918 323 388 178 279 2106 C. Neville 859 341 385 163 302 2050 A. M. Carroll 987 308 077 155 221 1948 T. J. J. Barry 824 214 163 172 214 1587 F. E. Stent 790 263 302 248 278 1881 A. McCarthy 716 199 .179 122 315 1431 Informal 29 7 0 7 11 54