LOCAL ELECTIONS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 16

LOCAL ELECTIONS

THE OFFICIAL COUNT CHANGES IN SUBURBS COUNCIL RESULTS ALTERED TAKAPUNA AND NORTIICOTE Good progress is being made in various local body districts with tho. official count of the votes cast at tho elections on Wednesday, and in some areas the work has been completed. The biggest task is that being undertaken by the city returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley, whoso, staff will have to count considerably over a million votes. So far it has not been possible to complete tho count on any of the four issues. At both Takapuna and Northcoto tho moro careful check on tho provisional figures resulted in candidates previously nnnounced as elected being placed among the defeated. The count at Devonport showed that 35,023 votes were recorded, which was approximately a 6 per cent increase on the total in 1935, and constituted a record for tho borough. Takapuna Council Tho official count for the Takapuna Borough Council election, completed yesterday, brought only a slight change in the position of tho mayoral candidates. Each of tho three candidates had his total votes increased and the result was that Mr. J. Guiniven, who was agaiji successful, had a majority of 429 over tho next candidate, Mr. A. K. McFarlano, ono less than shown by tho provisional count. In the Takapuna council contest, however, the official count gave Mr. S. H. Carr a seat on tho council, and displaced Mr. L. L, Speedy. In the 'provisional count Mr. Speedy s total was given as 888, but the official count reduced this to 886, while Mr. Cair, who had been credited with 886 votes, had his total increased to 903. Bv this chauge tho Ratepayers and Residents Association had its representation reduced from four to three members, while tho Citizens' Committee now has in Mr. Carr a fourth member on the council. It was previously announced that Mr. C. V. Holyoake, one of tho successful candidates, was a Labour nominee. He was, however, on the ticket of the Citizens' Association. Ihe Labour Party has two representatives on the council.

Ohange at Northcote On tho provisional count at Northcote Mr. C. E. A. Mcßeth, a retiring Labour councillor, was placed as the last of the successful candidates, with 543 votes, while Mr. C. G. Robertson, also a sitting member, with 533 votes, was at the head of unsuccessful list. However, the official count completed yesterday has given Mr. Robertson a total of 615 votes, and a seat on the council, replacing Mr. McBeth. Labour's representation on tne council is thus reduced to two memMount Eden and Onehunga tho counts in the mayoral contest were completed and, although slight variations from the provisional figures were shown, the results announced on election night were not altered. Official counts were also completed at Mount Albert, One Tree Hill, Newmarket, Ellerslie and Devonport, and the results announced on Wednesday night remained unchanged.

LABOUR DISAPPOINTED EXCESS OF CONFIDENCE WELLINGTON CITY RESULTS [BY TELEGBAPH —PBIJSS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday Reference to the Wellington municipal election results was made by Mr. J H Collins, secretary of the Labour Representation Committee. He said that Labour wished to pay a tribute to the intensive propaganda campaign o its opponents. Had Labour had half the financial resources of its opponents the results would have been entirely different. , , It was obvious that a large number of Labour supporters, confident of a Labour victory, did not cast their votes, while their opponents polled every available vote. . t "On the whole, while disappointed with the result," said Mr. Collins, we believe Labour has maintained its position and will, in the not distant future, have an opportunity of demonstrating to the citizens of Wellington its administrative ability in f local body as well as national affairs."