SWING FROM LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23968, 19 May 1941, Page 10

SWING FROM LABOUR

TOWN AND COUNTRY

LANDSLIDE IN AUCKLAND

CITIZENS' GREAT VICTORY Municipal elections were held throughout New Zealand on Saturday, this being the first occasion on which the last day of the week has been chosen as polling-day for local elections. Lhe polls included those for county councils, hospital boards and harbour boards, in addition to the elections in cities and boroughs. Polling generally was lighter than in previous years, the decline being substantial in Auckland, and in several other large centres. While the war was blamed for much of the lack of public interest, it was freely suggested that many people refrained from voting because on a Saturday a special trip from home was involved. A pronounced swing away from Labour was revealed not only in the Mayoral elections in the four main centres, but in a substantial number of city and borough council contests. I his tendency was apparent in both town and country, being particularly marked in the case of the Auckland City Council, where only one Labour member was elected, the other 20 seats being filled by representatives of the Citizens and Ratepayers" Association. Two sitting Members of Parliament were among the unsuccessful candidates for the Auckland City Council. In the detailed lists of results an asterisk indicates a retiring member.