HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD ELECTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 17

HOSPITAL AND CHARITABLE AID BOARD ELECTION.

THE NEW BODY FORMED. REMARKABLE APATHY OF VOTERS. Despite the fact that the amalgamation of the Hospital Board, the Benevolent Trustees, and the Hospital Trustees under the new Hospital and Charitable Institutions Act marks an epoch in the history of charitable aid administration in New Zealand, the public has shown a most regrettable lack of interest in regard to the event. ■This was indicated by the fact that three of the combined contributing districts under the new system failed to nominate represenatives, and was proved by the election of representatives—the first under the new act —hold on the 16th. The most prominent feature of the election as a whole was the very small number of votes cast in the different districts, as compared with the number of persons entitled, to go to the poll-. As the. Voting proceeded on the 16th the total and most regrettable absence of any form of keen public interest and the very email stream of voters that trickled through the various booths made it evident that the vote was going to be a very small one. And so it proved when the numbers were announced. Some idea of the position may bo gained by the following figures (which are only approximate):

The following gentlemen acted as chief xeturninig officers in the three districts interested •: Dunedin, etc., Mr R. W. Richards; Rcslyn, etc., Mr Charles Wedge; Waihemo, etc., Mr J. Pbrteous. Each of < these gentlemen made excellent ment for the handling of the poll, but their resources were, naturally, not unduly taxed. Voting ceased at 6 p.m. at Port Chalmers, Waikouaiti, and Palmerstcn, and at 7 o'clock in the city and suburbs. The counting of the votes was concluded at an early hour, and the results were known at Roslyn before 8 o'clock, and at the City Town Hall an hour later. Only half a dozen ratepayers assembled at Roslyn, and there were no speeches made, and there .was an assemblage of less than a score at the Town Hall. Each of the candidates who was present at the declaration of tha poll at the latter place addressed the ratepayers, returning thanks for his election or the support given him. The following is the result of the elections : COMBINED DISTRICT OF THE CITY OF DUNEDIN AND THE BOROUGH OF WEST HARBOUR. (Si-, members.)

COMBINED DISTRICT OF ROSLYN, NORTH-EAST VALLEY, MAORI HILL, AND MORNING TON. (Two

PALMERSON SOUTH BOROUGH, WAIKOUAITI BOROUGH, AND PORT CHALMEHS BOROUGH. (One member.)

COMBINED DISTRICTS OF THE ROAD BOARDS, BAY TOWN BOARD, ST. KILDA AND GREEN ISLAND BOROUGHS. (One member.) H. M. Ewing ... ... (elected unopposed). COMBINED DISTRICT OF TAIERI COUNTY AND MOSGIEL BOROUGH. (One member.) Walter Blackie ... (elected unopposed). COMBINED DISTRICTS OF TAPANUI, LAWRENCE AND ROXBURGH BOROUGHS. AND TUAPEKA ■ COUNTY. (One member.) No nomination received. CLUTHA COUNTY, BALCLUTHA BOROUGH, AND CLINTON TOWN BOARD. (One member.) No nomination received. BRUCE COUNTY, MILTON AND KAITANGATA BOROUGHS. (One member.) No nomination accepted. THE NEW BOARD. John Loudon, Dunedin J. H. Walker, Dunedin. David Larnach, Dunedin S. S. Mvers, Dunedin W. T. Talboys, Dunedin J. J. Clark, Dunedin W. Wilkinson, Roslvn J. H. F. Hamel. Rcslyn R. Templeton, Waikouaiti H. M. Ewing, St. Kilda - Walter Blackie, Taieri 'Three members to be appointed. ELECTIONS IN OTHER CENTRES. AUCKLAND, March . 16. The following %vere the successful candidates at to-day's election of the Auckland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board: City. P. J. Nerheny, P. M. Mackay, J. S. Dickson, and F. J. H. Ellisdon. Combined boroughs of Mount Eden, Grey Lynn, Parnell, Newmarket, and Onehunga. and Ellerslie town district: H. Schofield, E. H. Potter. Combined boroughs of Devonport, Birkenhead, and Northcote: Dr W. G. Guinness. Waitomata and Rodney Counties and Helen-sville town district: F. Dye (unopposed): Road districts of Eden County: M. J. Coyle and J. Jenkin (unopposed). The representative of the Manukau County road district Will be elected on March 30. The voting was small in the city, the highest candidate receiving only 1030 votes out of a total of over 19,000 elector.* on the roll. WELLINGTON, March 16. The election of 14 representatives of the combined Wellington district on the new Hospital and Charitable Aid Board took place to-day. There were 23 candidates. The following is tho polling: —Elected : J. G. W. Aitken, 1667: Rev. Van Stavern, 1617; Miss Richmond, 15*7; R. C. Kirk, 14P6; J. Smith. 14E4: Rev. W. A. 1331; J. Robertson. 1323 ; J. Godber, 1^21; J. J. Devine,^l2?9; D. M'Laren, M.P.. 1262; .T. Trevor, 1227; A. H. Hindmarsh 1137; G. London, 1098; J. E. Fitzgerald, 1079. Rejected: G. Nash. 106*: Dr Anson, 1021; Dr Borghetti, 996; F. Castle. 908: D. Campbell, 889: T. Smith. 771; M. J. Reardon, 675; G. Bayliss, 594; S. Gordon, 482. NELSON. March 16. Ac the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board election to-dav Messrs Field and Lock and Mesdames Fell and Watson were elected to represent the contributing districts of Nelson and Richmond. Very little interest was taken in the election, between 6CO and 700 onlr out of 3671 voting. CHRTSTOHURCH. March 16. The election of seven members to i-epre-sent the city of Ohristohurch on the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board resulted in the return of five out of the seven peoples' progressive ticket, including three ladies. The f<->"owirtT »lect«»d •—Mrs Cunnington, 1191; C. Allison, 115*; Mrs Wilson, 991: Mrs Eneom, 9T3: W. W. Tanner. 885; Rev. W. J. L. Close. 793; T. Gajies. 713. Messrs Allison and Gaoes were previously on the board. It is estimated that out of a total of 17,000 on the roll only 1400 voted. The Socialist candidate received the fewest votes, and was last on the poll. The election of one -representative by the Akaroa County Council resulted in Mr Murray (old member) beating Dr Thacker by 102 vote* to 39. Several small returns are to come, but they cannot alter the result. Mr Colin Cook was elected to remwent

tae combined boroughs of Lyttelton, Woolston, Sumner, and New Brighton. (From Our Own Correspondent.) INVERCARGILL, March 16. The first set of elections in connection with the Southland Charitable Aid Board was held to-day. The returns from the country booths of the polling for county council representatives will not bo in or made known until Friday. The Invercargill polling for three representatives resulted as follows:—A. F. Hawke, 422; Jas. Ward, 416; Robt. Galbraith, 258; Wm. Baird, 249; Richard Allen, 231; I, L. Petrie, 146; and A. A. Paape, 123. Messrs Hawke, Ward, and Galbraith, the elected members, have not previously been members of the board, although the two first have during the past year been members of the Southland Hospital Trust. Mr Galr braith is a member of the Invercargill Borough Council.

Combined District. Number on roll. "Votes‘Cast. Dunedin, etc. ... ... 12,000 1,500 Rcslyn, ’ etc. ... ... 6,400 750 jWaihemo, etc. ... 3,200 350 Totals ... 21,600 2,600

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d Valley. a a s 5 bo •S . % *%• o a £ j3 Q ik & fc a 'S! S> Wilkinson, W. 199 70 12 55 356 Hamel, J. H. F. ... 145 24 23 1Q8 298 Bridger, A. H. 98 27 15 150 290 COMBINED DISTRICT OF WAIHEMO COUNTY. WAIKOUAITI COUNTY,

d o ;■§ 1 ■ , u o 1 s *c3 Ol ’3 £ •P 04 1 Templeton, R. ... 11 189 28 228 Philip; D. M. ... 53 4 37 94 Clark, George ... 8 0 17 25 Informal, 4.