THE NEW COUNCIL.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16843, 29 April 1915, Page 6

THE NEW COUNCIL.

Thi City Council ; s not vastly changed in personnel or < haracter as the result of yesterday’s elections. Mr Holland is to be congratulated upon re-election to the high office of Mayor, which ho har. filled with distinction for the lam three years. The impression we had formed that the votes would lie distributed rather evenly Ivetween the ’three candidates is borne out by the figures, Mr Holland having received 37.72 per cent, Mr Bprirs 32.43 per cent and Mr Sorensen 29.85 per cent of the total number of votes recorded. The prospects of the sitting Mayor were manifestly good in a triangular contest, .Though wo do not suggest that Mr Holland would have been defeated if he had had only one other candidate to contend with. No doubt a large number of electors remembered with gratitude and sympathy that tho Alayor of the city has had a strenuous time during the last couple of years, owing tc> extraordinary circumstances, and felt that as he desired to do so lie had earned the right to re-election for a period which we all hope will become less exacting before its expiry. Considering that ho has had no preliminary training on the council, Mr Spoirs has every reason to feel gratified, if not fully satisfied. It is no small tribute to his character as a citizen that he should have secured second place, and the fact that he received nearly four thousand votes, standing in the interests of Labour, testifies to the democratic sentiment of the community. We are not sure but what Mr Sorensen’s conneotion with the Conservative Party in general politics handicapped his candidature. We certainly would like to hope that it did not, for we deprecate the introduction of such influences into municipal affairs. It is fair to say that Mr Sorensen is probably in full agreement with us on the point, and he contested the' Mayoralty purely out of good citizenship. The public will regroL that one effect is that, for the time being Mr Sorensen has given up kis scat on the council. The alteration in tho personnel of „the council, as wo have said, is not considerable.' Two of the retiring members, Mr Morten and Mr Sorensen, did not seek re-election, and two, Mr Hunter and Mr Loasby, were defeated. The vacancies are filled by Messrs D. G. Sullivan, E. Peek, J. 0. Jameson and H. F. Herbert. The electors of Lin wood Ward have chosen three Labourites, bringing the Labour representation on the whole council up to six in place of five in the outgoing council. Wo are prepared to hear expressions of alarm from some of the timid Conservatives. hut these will soon subside when it is realised that the heavens are not going to fall. For ourselves, we are pleased to see the working people securing fair representation on local bodies which deal with subjects that closely affect the conditions of life, and we appreciate also the consideration that responsibility usually has a salutary influence. The electors havo no reason to feel dissatisfied at the results of the elections. The people can afford to congratulate the successful ones while thanking the defeated councillors for past services and the other Unsuccessful aspirants for offering to participate in the labours and responsibilities, as well as the honours, of local government.