PARTY POLITICS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 19 May 1925, Page 9

PARTY POLITICS.

CHRISTCHURCH COUNCIL.

ELECTION OF A DEPUTY-MAYOR. SOME UNPLEASANTNESS. (BY TELEGRAPH. PP.ESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 18. At the City Council to-night, for the position of Deputy Mayor, Or. C. P. Agar (Citizens’ Association), defeated Cr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P. (Labour) by H votes to 6 on a strictly party vote. After the vote Cr. Sullivan said the citizens’ party were establishing a precedent which would inevitably be followed by the Labour Party when it was in the majority. Cr. Leadley: You win be entitled to it then.

Cr. Sullivan said the question was whether the. precedent was a good one. A turnover of a few hundred votes at last election would nave, placed the Labour Party jn the majority. Labour sentiment and support were growing. The precedent set by the Citizens’ Association would in years to come be followed by their opponents. Cr. Agar: 1 am quite prepared to accept the position. Cr Sullivan : In years to come we will have to follow that precedent. Cr. C. Carr said that when the Labour Party was in the majority lie would be sorry*if it followed the very unfair and unjust precedents set by the Citizen’s’ majority in the appointment of committees and Deputy Mayor. “I want to be clearly understood by this Council and the public,” said the Mayor, Rev. J. K. Archer, “that nevei under any circumstances or at any time while I am Mayor of this city, will the man you have appointed Deputy Majoi act with my consent or on my request. I want to have a clear understanding on that.” . Cr Agar said he could quite understand the Mayor’s feelings in the matter. There wa s nothing personal involved, only a question of what the Mayor believed to be his rights. The Citizens’ Party did not want a Deputy Mayor to represent Mr. Archer, but a Deputy Mayor to represent the City of Christchurch. They did not expect or wish him to represent Mr. Archer personally’.