THE SUBURBAN MAYORS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20706, 2 May 1929, Page 8

THE SUBURBAN MAYORS.

Me Hall, by securing re-election yesterday to the mayoralty of St. Kilda, achieved the distinction of being the only Mayor in a suburban borough who is this year entering upon a second successive term of office. He was fortunate, however,-in the fact that ho had three opponents who between them polled 560 votes in excess of the number that were recorded in his favour. It . would ,seem that the electors of St. Kilda were desirous of a change, but that they were embarrassed by the choice that was offered to them, with the result,that a minority of their number were enabled to place Mr Hall again in office. ' That the opposition to Mr Hall was not based on personal grounds, but was related to questions of borough policy, may be inferred from the fact that he secured a handsome majority in the contest against Mr Dove, who sought re-election as the. representative of St. Kilda and Green Island' on the Hospital. Board. It is a matter for' satisfaction that the reign of Mr Anderson as Mayor of Port Chalmers has been brought to an end. There was so much that, to say the least, called for critical comment in the manner in which Mr Anderson exercised his authority during the period of his mayoralty that it is surprising that the majority of votes against him was so small as it actually was. Mr Smellie’s victory . over the Retiring Mayor, Mr Kaler, in Green Island, was to. be expected, and it should herald , a term of progressive local government in the borough. Mr Moller has returned to the mayoral office in West Harbour from which he retired two years ago after having occupied it for so long that it almost seemed to have become a permanent possession of his, and Mr Walls is succeeded in Mosgiel by Mr M'Lean, whose t election without opposition afforded an evidence of the confidence which is reposed in him by the electors.