MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 98, 23 April 1909, Page 5

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

[FROM OUR -CORRESPONDENT..!

PICTON, Thursday. To-day Messrs G. Maitland and H. A. McCormick were nominated for the, office of Mayor. For seats at the Council table no less than fifteen have been . nominated, as follows:—Messrs T. Allport, C. J. Brunsell, A. Clinch, S. Fell, D. France, *C. Fredericks, W. Lucena, *C. Peek, J. W. Perano, *L: Pugh, W. E. Redman, *G; J. Riddell, *G. Smith, jun., A. W. Spiers, *G. Wilkins.

Of these, six' (*) are at present Councillors, two, Messrs T. Philpotts and H. A. Simmonds, have decided not to seek re-election, and Messrs G. Maitland and H. A. McCormick, who will contest the Mayoralty, are not. candidates for seats on the Council. At last night's meeting, when Messrs Philpotts and Simmonds announced their intention his Worship the Mayor (Mr G. Maitland) expressed the regret of the Council that the town was ] losing^ the services of these two fellow councillors, and he was followed by Messrs Riddell and McCormick, who referred in feeling terms to, the retirement of Councillor T. Philpotts in particular, who had been associa-i ted with the affairs of the town for the past fifty years. Old residents will remember that Mr Philpotts was the first secretary of the original Picton Town Board, and for the past twenty-five years he has been on and off in. office, two or three terms as Mayor of the town. Councillor Philpotts has always taken a very keen interest in municipal affairs, and his keen: business insight has always been on the alert for the well-being of the Borough. The speakers at last night's meeting wished him many happy years of retirement from the strife of public affairs, and hoped that he would still take an interest in, and enjoy the well-being of the town.

It must have been very gratifying to Mr Philpotts to know that he is leaving office at a time when the finances of the Council are ml such a robust condition. It is to the pioneer work of such citizens as Mr Philpotts and his colleagues of the past and to the constant care of our energetic and painstaking Town Clerk (Mr Blizzard), that such a happy state of affairs exists. It is likewise gratifying to notice, especially as this is Juuuee year, that so many old Picton boys are standing for municipal honours. )