THE MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1136, 8 December 1893, Page 41

THE MAYORAL ELECTIONS.

WELLINGTON. ME BEANDON RETURNED. The Maydi-fil election on Nov. 29, which under normal circumstances would have excited keen local interest/ Was completely overshadowed by the supreme importance of the Parliamentary elections. Everyone had taken so active a part or had been so completely absorbed in the battle-royal of the previous day that but a langtiid interest was felt in the duel for the Mayoralty. The citizens were too much pre-occupied in fighting their battles over again or in discussing the surprises which many of the elections had caused them, Besides, there was a pretty general consensus of opinion that the result of the Mayoral contest was a foregone conclusion for Mr Brandon. Still there were a few cabs driving about, placarded after the time-honoured cxistoin and a dozen or so of persons wei’e loitering about the entrance to the Exchange Hall, thus proclaiming that it was once inoi'e the scene of polling. Mr Worth was ■- alert and active. He stood at the street door of the hall distributing small dodgers adjuring the ratepayers to “Vote for Worth, the popular and deserving candidate, who would devote his time and attention to city requirements and ratepayers’ interests. Inside the booth everything worked like clockwoi’k. Mr James Ames, the City Returning Officer, was in charge, and he had the assistance of the following pollelerlcs :—Messrs H. Thomas, E. H.Chinchen, E. Hill, 11. C. Millward and Joseph Allies. A considerable number of ladies exercised the franchise. At 20 minutes to 7 the return of polling was made up, and was at once declared and posted up at the Times Office. The result was as follows: — A. de B. Brandon ... ... H 94 C. F. Worth 595 Majority 599 , Informal votes... ... 4 ■•K

Alfred de Bathe Brandon, the new Mayor, is a native of Wellington. He was born in the City in 1854, and was educated, first at the Wellington College and Grammar School (now the Wellington College) under Messrs Tuckey, Hamilton and Bowden, and subsequently at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated B A. in 1877. Just about the same time he was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple. Mr Brandon returned to Wellington immediately afterwards, and was admitted to practice in June, 18/7, as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of New Zealand. He at once entered into partnership with his father - Mi - A. de B. Brandon, sen., who then represented the Wellington country districts in the Hoixse ° of Bepresentatives. Mr Bi-an-don, sen., died in 1886, and the subject of our sketch is now head of the legal firm of Brandon, Hislop and Brandon. He entered the City Council in 1886 as one of the councillors for the- Tliorndon Ward, and continued, to represent it down till the end of 1888, when the whole Council retired upon the redistribution of wards. At tlie election which followed, Mr Brandon was returned at the head of the poll to represent the Thorndon" vV ard along with Messrs Martin Chapman and H. J. Williams (now secretary of the L-ceused V..ctualler., AssociationV and he held office till.fhe pUjUpf

1890. Mr Brandon has been president of the Wellington Law Society and was for two years captain of the Star Boating Club, of which he is now a trustee. He took a great intex-est in volunteering while he was fin England, and. was captain of one of the University corps. During the last twelve months he has been captain of the Wellington Eifles, now about to be disbanded. Mr C. F. Worth, the unsuccessful candidate, was a City Councillor for several years. He resigned his seat last year in order to pay a visit to England. This is the third time that he has unsuccessfully contested the Mayoralty. The installation of the Mayor-elect (Mr A. de B. Brandon) will take place on the 20th instant.

A WOMAN ELECTED MAYOE. By Telegraph. —Press Association, y Auckland, November 29. Mrs Elizabeth Yates, wife of Captain Yate's, a well-known resident of Onehunga, has been elected Mayor of that borough by a Majority of 13 votes. The other candidate wasf Mr Court, a local draper. OTHER ELECTIONS. The Mayoral election at Karori resulted as follows :—S. Lancaster, 109 ; J. B. lan - , 59. The following is the result of the polling for the Petone Mayoralty C. Kirk, 140 ; B> Mothes, 122.

By Telegraph. —Press Association. Dunedin, November 29. Considerable interest was taken in the city Mayoralty. The Prohibitionists -and Women’s Franchise League were against Mr Fish, Mr Chapman, the other candidate, being brought out by them, and they spared no effort in attempting to repeat the defeat of the previous day. The voting: was heavy, Mr H. S. Fish polling 1067, and Mr C. R. Chapman 749. Mr Fish, who is seriously ill in bed, had therefore a majority of 318. At Roslyn, M r A. Matheson defeated. Mi' L. Kennedy. Christchurch, November 29. The Mayoral election was won by Mr T. Gapes, City Councillor, who defeated Mr Eden George, the present Mayor. The numbers polled were:—Gapes, 820 ; George, 365. Mr J. Thompson has been elected Mayor of Lyttelton. Timaru, November 29. In the Mayoral election, Mr Jacob Hill, an old councillor, defeated Mr J. Jackson, formerly Mayor for several tei'ms. Palmerston North, November 29. Mr W. Park lias been elected Mayor of Palmerston North. Hokitika, November 29. Mr E. W. Wade has been re-elected Mayor of Hokitika, by a majority of 78 votes.