ISTHMUS POWER BOARD.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18021, 21 February 1922, Page 8

ISTHMUS POWER BOARD.

iTWENTY-ONE NOMINATIONS.

POSITION OF LOCAL BODIES.

BREAK WITH COMMITTEE.

REPRESENTATION OF CITY. The nomination of candidates for election to tho Auckland Electric Powor Board closed at noon yesterday; and altogether 21 names were lodged with tho returning officer, Mr. JP. N. Notley. As there are only 12 seats to be filled this will necessitate an election, which has been fixed for Tuesday next. The following are tho candidates:—Miss K. Melville and Messrs. H. N. Bagnall, M. J. Bennett. T. Bloodworth,. R. G. Clark, S. I. Crookes, J. Derapsey, H. T. Goldie, S. J. Haroutt, F. M. Hills, W. J. HoldsworUi, S. W. House, A. E. Lawry, W. R. Mnckesy, E. D. McLennan, J. Park, E. S. Pegler, E. H. Totter, J. Rowe, A. Spencer, and A. M. Wilson, Citizens' Committee's Request. An interesting position was revealed at a special meeting of representatives of suburban local bodies held at the Auckland City Council chamber yesterday morning. Tho Mayor of Mount Eden, Mr. W. J. Shackelford, presided and explained the reasons which rendered the meeting necessary. Ho mentioned that Mayors and chairmen of suburban local bodies had been approached by tho Progressive Citizens' Election Committee with a request that they should confer with members of tho committee in the niattor of the selection of candidates. Tho suburban members made it clear at a meeting with tho committee that they could not discuss tho position unless all they did coald be agreeable to Mr. Gunson and the members of the Auckland City Council. It was understood then that the suburban representatives should select six candidates and the committee six candidates, the latter to includo members of the City Council. Acting on this the suburban representatives at a meeting on Thursday evening selected the Mowing candidates:—Messrs. E. V McLennan S. W. House, John Park R. G. Clark. A. M. Wilson, and E. H. Potter. Oity Council Members Excluded. These names were submitted to the Progressive Citizens' Election Committee, but,° said Mr. Shackelford, although tho suburban representatives had not_ received a list of tho committee's nominees they had good reason to believe that the selection made by the committee did not include one member of the City Council. It was in the general interest that the suburban bodies should work with the City Council, and he suggested that they should taka up the position that Ihe City Council nominate six candidates and the suburban looil bedies fix. Mr. A, F. Bennett, Mayor of Mount Albert, expressed the opinion that the committee should have had mpre insight and intelligence than to have left the City Council members out .of its list, well knowing that the City Council desired to " put np " some of its own members. He moved that tie meeting send a delegation to an informal meeting of members of tho City Council then being held in the building, offoring to support six City Council nominees if tiie City Council would support the suburban representatives at the election. This would give them a fair chance of getting the desired 12 elected.

Tbis was seconded by Mr. F. Chapman. Mr. A. McColl, a member of the Onehunga Borough Council, speaking on behalf of Mr. J. Park, Mayor of Onehunga, who was absent on account of illness, said he was authorised to say that unless Mr. A. E. Lawry was included . on the suburban ticket he would be compelled to withdraw his name. Agreement With City Council.' The motion was carried and the decision submitted to the meeting of City Counsillcirs, and after a short adjournment, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, speaking on behalf of tho City Council nominees, said they were prepared to fall in with the suggestion, and as seven council nominees had been chosen this number had been reduced to nix, Mr. J. Robertson retiring from the contest as the result of a ballot taken for the purpose. It was then decided by the meeting to notify the Progressive Citizens' Election Committee that all negotiations in respect of the combined ticket were now closed and that the suburban representatives would withdraw any association or, support from the committee. In a subsequent statement Mr. Holdsworth said that as the Citizens' Committee had overlooked the claims of the City Council's representatives, who were acquainted with the present position and the proposed extensions to the existing plant and had devoted considerable time to these matters, it was felt that in the interests of the citizens the City Council ehoulc". be represented. Had the committee recognised this fact the present position would not bave arisen. In all probability had three members of the council been included on the committee's list of nominees, this would have been regarded as satisfactory by the council. .

The Committee's Nominees. It is understood that the list of nominees selected by the Progressive Citizens' Election Committee, and which caused the suburban representatives to alter their attitude, comprised Messrs. A. J. Entrican, 8. J. HaxMtt, H. T. Goldie, F. M. Mlii, A. Spencer, and A. G. Lunn. When asked yesterday as to the personnel of the committee's ticket, officials of the committee stated that they were holding a meeting this morning to decide which candidates they should support. It was learned yesterday that Mr. A. G. Lunn had been nominated, but as his nomination paper was not in order, in that it did not include a satisfactory acceptance by the nominee, who is at present absent from Auckland, the nomination was refused.