MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS. HAWERA.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LVII, Issue LVII, 28 April 1910, Page 5

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

HAWERA.

MR BARTON GAINS THE MAYORAL CHAIR. A considerable crowd of citizens assembled outside the JtJorough Council Chambers on Wednesday night awaiting the result ot the municipal elections, chatting in little groups and making hazardous forecasts. At 7.50 the Town Clerk (Mr Elliott) announced the result of the Mayoral ballot as follows: Mr E. L'E. Barton 349 Mr J. Foy 133 Informal 10 Mr Foy then addressed the burgesses. He thanked very heartily all tnose who had worked so energetically and assiduously on his behalf j and said that he felt the defeat more on account of them than for any personal reasons. He congratulated Air Barton on the splendid victory which he had achieved. There must of necessity be differences of opinion among those who sat at the Council tables-it would not be well for the borough if all had the same opinions as to what was required —but that was no reason why they should not work harmoniously together, and he (Mr Foy) would be pleased as a councillor to help Mr Barton in the administration of the borough's affairs. (Applause.) This was the second occasion on which he had tasted defeat, and he trusted that if at any future time he offered his services to the ratepayers he would be more successful than on the present occasion. He again thanked all those who had worked in his behalf. (Applause.) Mr Barton, who was received with cheers, most sincerely thanked the voters for not only placing him at the head of the poll, but also for doing so by a very substantial majority. On a previous occasion he had occupied the position of Mr Foy when Mr Bobbins had defeated him by quite as substantial and handsome a majority as the people had given him on thjs occasion. He was, therefore, able to sympathise with Mr Foy and extend to him the hand of goodfellowship. (Applause.) Mr Foy had conducted the fight in a manly and entirely satisfactory manner to him (the speaker), and he trusted to the citizens as well. (Hear, hear.) There was a complete absence of abuse or ill-feeling in the fight —perhaps because they were so young at the game. (Laughter.) Mr Foy had been an excellent councillor, and always expressed his views in a most sensible way at the Council table, and he (Mr Barton) hoped that by working together they would be able to show as good a 1 record at the end of the ensuing 12 months as that left under the guidance of Mr Sutton. (Hear, hear.) He asked his auditors not to Nbe disappointed if they failed to obtain as good a result, and to show as good a balance-sheet as Mr Sutton had shown —a balance-sheet which it would be hard to emulate and which was a credit to Mr Sutton and to the town. (Hear, hear.) Mr Barton then quoted figures and briefly alluded to the policy which he advocated, as set forth in his speech of Tuesday i evening, and which he intended to pur- i sue with .the assistance of the councillors. Whatever was done should be done under competent engineering advice. There was one trouble more than any other which hitherto the Council did not seem to be able to overcome^ — the principal thing for which he had sought their votes, namely l, the dust trouble. (Hear, hear.) The Almighty seemed to have endowed them unduly with that abomination. , (Laughter.) The dust was no sooner laid in our thoroughfares by means of the water-ing-cart than, a few minutes later, # it was whirling and swirling again with the same blinding and destructive fury. He hoped that with the aid of two or three watering-carts they would be able to make that state of affairs a thing of the past. (Hear, hear.) If that reform were the only thing that came out of his mayoralty he would believe that he deserved well of the citizens of Hawera. (Hear, hear.) Mr Barton referred to the splendid work that had been dono'in the past by Messrs Davidson, McGuire, Major, Robbins and Sutton. He congratulated the people upon the town in which they lived, and hoped that in the course of time they would Tbe able to congratulate him also for the work which he would accomplish for the borough. He thanked the genitlemeiit of his committee for their able work, on his behalf, and in an especial manner he thanked the ladies who left their homes at considerable in convenience to record their votes in his favor. Again referring to Mr Foy, he said it was a very fine thing to see (and he hoped it would always be the case in Hawera) young men anxious and pleased to take their place at the Council table and devote their time and energies to the services of the town. (Applause.) BOROUGH COUNCIL VACANCY. At 8.30 Mr Elliott announced the result of the polling for the seat on the Council, vacated by the retirement of Mr H. Temple Atkinson. The figures were: — Mr Alexander Reid ... 248 Mr R. J. Hughes 218 Informal 26 Mr Reid briefly returned thanks for his election, and the crowd dispersed. ELECTIONS ELSEWHERE. STRATFORD. Much interest was shown in the Mayoral election. The number of votes received was much above the average. J. Masters 445 N. J. King 310 Majority 135 WELLINGTON. Mr T. M. Wilford, M.P. ... 6244 Mr C. J. Crawford ...... ... 5270 Wellington Suburbs.—The Mayoral elections in the suburban boroughs resulted as follows :—Eastbourne: H. W. Shortt 240, W. Hobbs 131. Lower Hutt: E. P. Bunny 623, W H Russell 516. Miramar: J. Brodie 410, I<. Townsend 361. _ Auckland City.—L. J. Bagnall 3627, P. J. Nerheny 1992, W. Richardson 455 Parnell.—R. S. Briggs 533, Frank Fitt 243. . .... Birkonhead.—A. Keyes (sitting Mayor) defeated E. G. Skeates and H. P Tavlor Wodin City.—T. Cole 3801, B. L. Tapley 2115. . Roslyn._j. H. F. Hamel (retiring Mayor) 607, A. Washer 472 North-East Valley.—Jonathan Rliodes 629 J Campbell (retiring Mayor) 504. St. Kilda.—D. C. Cameron, jun., SJI, Nelson 6 —Thomas Pettie ,979, Jesse Piper 768. Mr Piper was the retiring Mayor, and had hoi doffice for six years previously.

Richmond.— James Hunt 143, W. E. Wilkes 122. Greymouth. — Alfred Russell beat E. Coates (retiring Mayor) by 47 votes. Westport. — Greenwood 592, Samuel 388. Blenheim. — Councillor Edward H. Penny defeated Councillor John J* White by 20 votes. Dannevirke. — Ransom 456, Haines 330.