A NOTABLE DEFEAT.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 111, 7 April 1930, Page 6

A NOTABLE DEFEAT.

At tke by-election to the Christchurch City Council on Tuesday, Mr C. E. Jones, tke Citizens’ candidate, fairly romped in witk a majority of 3234, although ke had as kis opponent one of the stalwarts of tke Labour Party in tke person of Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., a gentleman whose return was confidently predicted by kis supporters. It is probably unwise to attack too muck importance to tke result of any byelecti'on, but tke significance of this particular contest lies in tke fact tkat it turns tke Labour majority (held together by Dr Thacker who was returned as an Independent but chose to support tke Labour members of the council) into a minority, tke Citizens’ nominees now holding tke greater number of tke seats. Tke polling was, too, unprecedentedly heavy for a by-election, 20,614 votes being polled by tke two candidates, and Mr Jones winning tke seat witk 11,924. Tke election of tkat gentleman is regarded as a serious blow to tke prestige of tke Labour Party and especially to tkat of tke Mayor, tke Rev. J. K. Archer, who scored suck a phenomenal vote at tke municipal elections last year, but whose erraticisms in the Mayoral chair kave, at times, been viewed with displeasure by many burgesses, including some of kis own supporters. It may of course be said tkat tke seat was lost to Labour by over-con-fidence on the part of the party supporters who, believing tkat with suck a strong candidate in tke field as Mr Armstrong, that gentleman’s return was certain, failed to register their votes at tke poll. But tke Citizens’ Committee appears to kave been well on tke alert and to have worked hard for the notable success they kave achieved, which has given them a majority of tke seats in tke council, where before tkey were in a minority and had to submit to tke domination of a Labour Mqgor, witk the majority at his back. Christchurch has, for some years past, appeared more definitely Socialistic in its political tendencies than any of tke other centres, but the result of Tuesday’s election is suggestive of a wholesome change in the opinions of its people, which may be reflected later on in the Parliamentary elections, if Labour is unwise enough to force the issue this year.

The Makura left Sydney at one o’clock yesterday for Auckland. The complete re-numbering of business and residential properties in the city has been decided upon by the Auckland City Council.

There were 168 more calls to fires in Wellington during the 12 months ended March 31, 1930, than there were in the previous 12 months.

At this morning’s meeting of the Foxton Harbour Hoard, the secretary reported that Captain Larsen had found a new channel for use in neap tides and the boats had been working very satisfactorily.

A valuable and pretty piece of bush, comprising about 70 acres, in the centre of the sawmill settlement at Whakamarama, has been presented to the Government bv the WhakamaramiC Land and Timber Company, as a scenic reserve and game sanctuary. Five first offending inebriates, two of whom were arrested on' Saturday and three on Sunday, were charged in the Magistrate’s Court, this morning, before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M. Those who had been locked up over the week-end were convicted and discharged, while the others were fined 6s, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment.

On a charge of having left unattended in Main Street a spring dray without putting a chain round the wheel, Joe Lum, a Chinese, appeared before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. Inspector Patton stated that the horse had bolted and had been caught at the railway station. Defendant was fined 10s, with 10s costs.

At Saturday’s meeting of the Manawatu provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union advice was received from the Dairy Farmers’ Union that a conference to consider top-dressing and increased production per acre had been arranged with Mr Connell, instructor in agriculture in the Manawatu area. Messrs A. G. Dear, J. A. McLeavey, R. Craig and H. Bond were authorised to represent the executive at the gathering. “It is not sufficient for any one party involved in an accident merely to inquire if the other party has been injured,” said Mr E. D. Mosley, the Christchurch S.M., in a case where a motorist knocked down a cyclist, and was brought before the Court for failing to report an accident. The motorist simply asked the cyclist if he was hurt. The Magistrate said the defendant should have taken some definite steps to find out whether the man was actually hurt. A claim for £lO for damage to a suit of clothes was made to the Auckland City Council recently by a man who had slipped on a footpath and fallen on wet tar. The city engineer reported to the council that a layer of tar had been put down on the footpath. The workmen warned the man that he had better wait a moment until sand had been spread. According to the workmen he said he would “risk it,” took a long jump, slipped and fell. The council decided to disclaim liability. The official lfSt of New Zealand delegates to the Empire Press Conference in London is ae follows: —Mr James Hutchison, Dunedin; Mr R. G. Gilmour, Invercargill; Mr W. R. Wilson, Auckland; Mr E. A. Blundell, Wellington; Mr R. B. Bell and Mr E. G. Kerr, Timaru; Mr A. L. Muir, Gisborne; Mr R. P. Furness, Blenheim; Mr T. C. List, New Plymouth; Mr A. E. Manning, Hamilton; Mr A. McNicol, Dannevirke; Mr L. J. Berry, Wellington. Mr W. R. Wilson has already left for England, where he will join the delegation on its arrival. Tho earthquake on Friday afternoon apparently had its centre near Opotiki. The Auckland Star’s correspondent, telegraphing details, said: Frightened people poured out of buildings at 12 minutes to two on Friday afternoon, when a terrific earthquake was experienced. Buildings shook and staggered in an alarming manner. There wag a gentle shaking at first, but then it became furious, and continued for half a minute. It was the heaviest felt in Opotiki since 1914. It greatly frightened women and children; and men, too, ran into the streets.' Minor damage only was caused.

A prompt decision made by the Minister of Health, Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, at Paeroa, was followed by a burst of applause from a deputation. The Waihi Hospital Board related the ose of a casual employee of the Public Works Department, a married man with three children, whose leg was badly broken last November. It had not been properly set, and the board had tried for over three months to get the man into a larger hospital for special treatment, but difficulty over adjustment of fees had so far left the man in danger of being a cripple for life. After a few pertinent questions the Minister said: “Send the man to the larger hospital to-morrow. I will not be a party to squabbling over a few pounds -when the Health of a human being and the happiness of his family are at stake.”