MUNICIPAL ELECTION

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17631, 18 November 1920, Page 6

MUNICIPAL ELECTION

POLL TO BE TAKEN TO-DAY.

FIVE CANDIDATES STAND.

TWO CITY COUNCIL SEATS.

The by-election to fill the two seats. on the City Council rendered vacant by the "resignation of Messrs. A. J. Entrican and E. H. Davis, will be held to-day, the polling hours having been fixed at from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Interest has been imparted to the contest owing to there being five candidates in the field for the vacancies. These represent various interests, including those of the business community and Labour. All persons whose names appear on the main and supplementary district electors' roll for the Greater Auckland district are entitled to vote, and polling places have been 'arranged for by the returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley, in convenient places in the city and in the suburbs concerned.

The five candidates are J. A. C. Allum, J. F. W. Dickson, G. R. Hutchinson, O. Mcßrine and E. J. Phelan, the two last-named being the Labour nominees. The following are the 22 polling places: —Town Hall ; Chamber of Commerce ; Queen's Wharf Shed; Victoria Park Pavilion; Baptist Church Sch<>£>], Jervois Road ; Church of Christ School, Ponsonby Road; Christians' Meeting House, Francis Street; East Street Mission Hall ; St.. Benedict's Hall ; Municipal Depot, Eden Terrace; St. David's Church School, Khyber Pass Road; Epsom Library; St. Mark's Hall, Remuera ; Municipal Depot, Remuera Road ; Native Boys' School, Parnell ; Methodist Hall, Parnell ; St. Columba Hall, Grey Lynn ; Church of England School, Heme Bay Road; Picture Theatre, Green Lane, Great South Road; St. James* Hall; Newton West School, Archhill; Methodist Hall, Franklin Road.

MR. DICKSON'S CRITICISM.

POSITION OF MR. DAVIS.

An address in support of his candidature for the City Council was delivered in the Leys Institute last evening by Mr. •J. F. W. Dickson. Mr. J. W. Stewart presided over a fairly large audience, which passed a unanimous vote of confidence in the candidate. Referring to the Anzac Avenue land transactions, which caused the resignations of Messrs. A. J. Entrican and E. Davis, the speaker said it had appeared that he included Mr. Davis in his criticism. He wished to state that as the purchase for Mr. t)avis> had been made bv his attorney during his absence abroad he "was free from any moral -responsibility. (Applause.) When emphasising his opinion that city lands should be sold at auction, Mr. Dickson said that men occupying a public position should be above the breath of suspicion. There should not be a semblance of suspicion about their actions. Answering questions, the candidate said he would vote in favour of free trams for disabled soldiers, for the provision of electric lighting in Ponsonby, "the Cinderella suburb," at the earliest possible moment, and for a more rigorous by-low governing motor traffic. Messrs. V. H. Potter, M.P., and C. F. Bennett spoke in support of the candidate.

LABOUR PARTY CAMPAIGN.

ADDRESSES BY CANDIDATES.

A meeting under the auspices of the New Zealand Labour Party was held in the Town Hall concert chamber last evening in support of the candidature of Messrs. E. J. Phelan and Or Mcßrine for seats on the Auckland City Council. Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P., . presided. Mr. Phelan said the Labour Party believed in a Greater Auckland and stood for the unification of local bodies in order to save waste of public money in administration. It favoured also cheaper tramway fares on Sundays, the abolition of the contract system in municipal affairs, more workers' homes, and extension of the city fish markets scheme. Mr. Mcßrine said the working-class constituted at least 80 per cent, of the people in Auckland and should therefore occupy four-fifths of the seats on the council. Instead of that it had at present only three seats out of 21. Addresses in support of the candidates were given by Messrs. F. N. Bartram, M.P., M. J. Savage, M.P., T. B'oodworth, G. Davis, and J. A. Lee. 1