ELECTION DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22565, 8 May 1935, Page 10

ELECTION DAY

MANY ISSUES AT STAKE HEAVY POLL LIKELY EARLY VOTING DESIRABLE Between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. to-day the polling places will be open for voting in the local body elections. Unprecedented interest is being taken in the various polls that are to be decided in Dunedin, evidence of this being provided by the fact that never before have so many electors been registered on the roll as for the present elections. There are 37,228 names on the roll in all, and to enable these persons to vote at the elections for the mayoralty, the City Council, the Harbour Board and the Hospital Board, 167,000 ballot papers have been printed. Since the poll is likely to be an extremely heavy one, voters are advised, not only for their own sake, but also in the interests of those who have to count the votes, to visit the polling booths as early as possible. It is anticipated by the returning officer (Mr G. A. Lewin) that the result of the. contest for the mayoralty will be known about 8.30 p.m., unless there is any hitch, but it is not likely that the other results will be announced before midnight. VOTING METHODS Although the method of voting at the elections conducted in the city has been changed so that all the elector has to do is to place a cross opposite the name of the candidates for whom he wishes to vote, persons who are voting outside Dunedin —in the Borough of St. Kilda, for instance —should remember that their way of voting is to strike out the names of the candidates for whom they do not wish to vote. Electors in the city will notice.when they see their voting papers that in the case of the City Council and the Harbour Board a name has in each instance been ruled out. That is due to the fact that Mr W. J. Bardsley has withdrawn his nomination for the Harbour Board eince the ballot papers were printed and'Mr J. S. Douglas has withdrawn from the City Council, and is not an indication how to vote. It should also be borne in mind that the polling hours, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., although very nearly so, are not quite general. They apply in the cities and towns and in counties in which a borough is situated, but where a county comprises wholly a rural district the polling booths will be closed at 6 p.m. For the St. Kilda Council, as for the City Council and the other local bodies in the city, a number of candidates have formed themselves into a " blue ticket," corresponding with the Citizens' "ticket" in Dunedin, in opposition to the Labour group.

OFFENCES ON ELECTION DAY Persons who as the result of strong sympathy with one section of candidates or another seek to influence voters on election day run the risk of a substantial fine. It is provided in section 44 of the Local Elections and Polls Act, 1925, that every person is liable to a fine not exceeding £2O who, at an election :

In any way interferes with any elector either in the polling' booth or while on his way thereto, with the intention of influencing him or advising him as to his vote (the mere offering of a printed slip asking for the support of certain candidates to any elector on his way to the booth, whether accepted by him or not, and whether it actually influences him or not, is a breach). Prints or distributes to any person on the day of the poll, or at any time during the three days immediately preceding the poll, anything being or purporting to be in imitation of any voting paper to be used 'at the poll, and having thereon the names of the candidates, or any of them, together with any direction or indication as to how any persons should vote, or in any way containing such direction or indication, or having thereon any matter likely to influence any vote. During the hours in which the poll is being taken makes any public demonstration having reference to the poll by means of living figures, effigies, paintings, placards, or other like means. LIST OF CANDIDATES The following candidates, have been nominated for the various local bodies in and about the city:— DUNEDIN MAYORALTY Citizens' Ticket. 'J. J. MARLOW. Labour Ticket. tE. T. COX. Independent. R. S. BLACK. •Member of retiring council. tßetiring Mayor. DUNEDIN CITY COUNCIL Citizens' Ticket. F. W. MITCHELL. D. C. CAMERON. * *W. BEGG. *W. A. SCOTT. W. J. BARDSLEY. H. L. PATERSON. *J. L. M'INDOE. *A. H. ALLEN. *W. H. SHEPHERD. R. WALLS. A. CLARK. J.' J. PURDIE. Labour Ticket. M. CONNELLY. P. NEILSON. R. HARRISON. J. HARRISON. D. G. M'MILLAN. *M. SILVERSTONE. P. G. CONNOLLY. J. ROBINSON. *F. JONES. B. O'DONNELL. *J. W. MUNRO. W. W. BATCH ELOR. Independent. C. A. WILSON. C. M. MOSS. H. A. HAMER. A. W. MARTIN. Communist. A. B. POWELL. S. IKIN. 'Member of retiring council. OTAGO HARBOUR BOARD Citizens' Ticket. R. FRASER. •H. C. CAMPBELL. J. M. FRASER. «R. DUNCAN. J. H. DUNCAN.

Labour Ticket. •J. W. MUNRO. P. NEILSON. R. HARRISON. B. O'DONNELL. D. COPLAND. Independent. A. W. MARTIN. A. ROBERTSON. Port Chalmers Representatives. T. ANDERSON. •T. SCOLLAY. •A. CAMPBELL. T. F. MACKIE. Taieri and Otago Peninsula Representative, tW. Dickinson. J. PRESTON. P. W. MOSS. Country District Representative. H. M. DRIVER. *R. S. THOMPSON. •Member of retiring board. y tLabour candidate. OTAGO HOSPITAL BOARD Citizens' Ticket. *W. NEWLANDS. •MISS J. E. RUNCIMAN. •MISS M. B. FARQUHAR. J. W. SCURR. *A. STEEL. •W. E. S. KNIGHT. •MRS NORA ROSS. Labour Ticket. •F. JONES. M. SILVERSTONE. P. NEILSON. B. O'DONNELL. R. HARRISON. MRS S. MacARTHUR. MRS F. M. DON. Independent. A. W. MARTIN. St. Kilda, Green Island and Peninsula Representative. tJ. H. CLINCH. •J. W. DOVE. Port Chalmers and Northern Representative. •H. S. SHEAT. T. ANDERSON. •Member of retiring board. tLabour candidate. ST. KILDA MAYORALTY Labour Ticket. •A. J. MORISON. Independent. tA. D. EDGAR. •E. LONGWORTH. H- H. LEARY. t Retiring Mayor. ST. KILDA BOROUGH COUNCIL Labour Ticket. •A. J. MORISON. J. H. GLINCH. P. C. TRIGGS. •E. W. HUNTER. •J. W. LUNAM. "Blue" Ticket. R. S. BRENT. J. C. CHERRY. W. J. DAVIDSON. G. GLUE. J. H. HINTON. T. D. B. ROY. W. RUTHERFORD. Independent. •A. D. EDGAR. *E. LONGWORTH. •J. A. CARMAN. •R. J. B. GRIFFITHS. •N. D. ANDERSON. •W. R. SELLAR. •W. J. LOVELL. •Member of retiring council. GREEN ISLAND MAYORALTY *T. M. M'AHAN. W. T. KALER. GREEN ISLAND BOROUGH COUNCIL Labour Ticket. M. BROSNAHAN. W. DICKINSON. E. HOPEWELL. G. JEFFERY. A. M'GREGOR. V. PRINGLE. i Independent. J. A. R. BROWN. •W. A. MILLER. •G. A. ORANGE. •J. C. RUSSELL. *W. O. SMELLIE. •T. G. TONKINS. *F. H. WRIGHT. PORT CHALMERS MAYORALTY *G. F. MIRAMS. T. SCOLLAY. T. ANDERSON. PORT CHALMERS BOROUGH COUNCIL •J. ANNAN. T. A. ARMSTRONG. •D. A. BELL. H. CAMP. J. H. FARQUHARSON. D. FORSYTH. L. G. JACK. •T. F. MACKIE. •E. G. ROUSE. •F. C. SMITH. J. S. THORN, jun. H. S. WATSON. R. O. WILMOT. •A. LOVE. •Member of retiring council. DUNEDIN MAYORALTY CONCLUSION OF CAMPAIGN The three candidates for the Dunedin mayoralty closed their campaigns last night, when they addressed large gatherings, and in each case were accorded a favourable hearing. Mr R. S. Bhick'3 meeting was in the George Street School Hall, which was crowded to the doors. The meeting which the Rev. E. T. Cox addressed in the Mornington Methodist Hall was similarly well attended, and Mr J. J. Marlow spoke in the Town Hall to an audience which practically filled the body of the hall. The number of questions which the speakers were required to answer indicated the interest which is being taken by the citizens in the election, but there was an entire absence at the meetings of anything in the nature of " heckling." PROSPECTS IN AUCKLAND LABOUR LIKELY TO BE IN MINORITY. (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, May 7. More than usual interest attaches to the Auckland mayoral election, as three candidates are in the field. It is anticipated that the Citizens' Committee nominee, Mr E. IT. Davis, will head the poll, although his success will not be so easy as was at first anticipated. Mr J. Sayegh (Labour) is not a strong candidate personally, but will, no doubt, secure a solid Labour vote. Mr A. J. Stall worthy, M.P., who is standing as an Independent, will have strong support from temperance advocates and will also poll fairly well. Keen judges consider that Mr Davis is safe. A strong Citizens' " ticket " has been nominated for the City Council, together with 21 Labour candidates and 1(5 who are on no " ticket." It is anticipated that, as before, Labour will be found in

a minority, the Citizens' nominees and independents holding a majority of the seats. The Hospital Board contest is full of interest in view of the strong recent criticism of the present administration. Several candidates are offering under the banner of " new administration," and it would not be surprising if there were several changes in the personnel of the new board. It is generally considered that the Labour Party is treating local elections as a prelude to the parliamentary olection. INDICATIONS IN WELLINGTON SOME LABOUR GAINS. (Special to Daily Times) WELLINGTON, May 7. It is expected that Mr T. C. A. Hislop, who has held office as Mayor for the last four years and was returned unopposed at the last election, will defeat the Labour candidate, Mr R. Semple, to-morrow, although not by a large majority. These are the only nominees for the mayoralty. No fewer than 32 candidates are entered for 15 City Council seats. Twelve are listed on the Citizens' "ticket," 15 on the Labour "ticket," and five on the Communist "ticket." The retiring council contained six Labour members. It is forecast that Labour will gain additional representation to-morrow. For the 13 Hospital Board seats there are 27 aspirants, 13 being Citizens' nominees, 13 Labour and one independent. The outgoing board had three Labour members. There are eight contestants for the four city Harbour Board seats, Labour and Citizens' candidates competing in equal numbers. It is considered unlikely that Labour will gain substantially on the Hospital Board, though it is possible that the party will secure the fourth city Harbour Board seat, having three in the old board. The city ratepayers are also to express their opinion on three separate loan proposals. The first is a loan of £IOO,OOO for street works'and drainage, the second for £60,000 for a new central library, and the third is for £27,000 for tepid baths. It is probable that the baths loan proposal will be rejected. The library proposal is regarded as certain of approval, but the fate of the largest of the three proposals is doubtful. CHRISTCHURCH APATHETIC MR SULLIVAN'S STRONG OPPONENT. (Special to Daily Times) CHRISTCHURCH, May 7. The last meetings in the municipal election campaign were held to-night. The campaign, which the organisers hoped wonld be keen and which they fer.red might even be bitter, has on the contrary been decorous to the point of dullness or apathy. The mayoral campaign may prove an index to the City Council voting. Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P., the sitting Mayor, is opposed by Sir Hugh Acland, a wellknown surgeon and a highly esteemed citizen. Certainly he is die strongest opponent Mr Sullivan has had to meet in a contest for the mayoralty, and for that reason some tipsters predict that M" Sullivan may have a close run, and a few say he may be beaten. Mr Sullivan, however, has a very strong following even among people with no Labour affiliations, and it is difficult to justify the prediction that even Sir Hugh Acland, admittedly a strong candidate and a highly desirable occupant of the mayoral chair, will beat him. For the City Council there are 14 candidates for 16 seats. Each of the two main parties, Labour and the Citizens' Association, have nominated full " tickets," and there arc also four nominees of the Independent Labour Party, le.l by Mr A. E. Armstrong, a sitting councillor, a few Independents, Socialists, and Communists. There are 10,000 new voters on the roll this year, and, if all can be induced to vote, the constitution of the council may be greatly changed. The campaign is well organised for polling day, but both groups of organisers are uneasy about the apparent lack of interest on the part of the voters.