.MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3399, 7 May 1919, Page 21

.MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

THE CITY MAYORALTY. The municipal elections on the 30th fadle'd to attract much publio interest, so far at least as the votes recorded are concerned. Despite the fact that the four candidates for the position of Mayor had utilised the publio press to a more than usual extent to" J advertiso their particular claims to public support, had addressed publio meetings all over the' city, had liberally made use of motor oars to carry electors to the polling booths, only 11,920 electors of the total number approximately of 21,575 electors on the rolls took the opportunity to exercise their privileges as electors. The fact that the election for city councillors, members of the Harbour Board and the Hospital. and Charitable Aid Board, was held at the same time as the mayoral election might have been expected to add additional interest to the people of the city, but, as,the figures show, the anticipation was not borne out. The success of Cr Begg did not come as a great surprise, as during the past few days, assisted as he was by a body of hardworking supporters, he had come increasingly into favour jis the probable successful candidate. In the great majority of the 'polling booths Cr Begg had a majority over the rest of his opponents. It was generally considered that the contest would be fought out between Crs Begg and Black. and so it proved. A considerable number gathered at the Town Hall to hear the result of the mayoral contest, the record of votes for the various candidates being finally screened on the sheet at the hall at 10 minutes past 8. Only Crs Begg, Black, and Gilkison spoke", and the crowd then quickly drifted away. The following figures show the number of persons who voted on Wednesday, and in the four previous contests: — Per Roll. Voted. cent. 1919 21,575 11,920 55 1917 25,537 14,919 58 1915 25,029 16.256 64 1914 26,843 11,113 11 1913 26,031 13,734 52 The voting resulted as follows: — Votes: WM. BEGG „. ...- 4804 R. S. Black 3626 . R. Gilkison 2699 Robert Gordon Macdonald .... 788, The voting for the mayoral contest in 1917 resulted as follows:—J. J. Clark, 8571 votes; Isaac Green, 6179 votes. In 1915 the voting was: J. J. Clark 6862, S. S. Myers 5251, J. J. Mariow 3940. ; CITY COUNCIL. • In the election for 18 councillors two of the members of the old council—Crs Bumi and Thorn—lost their seats. Messrs M'Donald and Walker have been elected to the council after being out of this particular civic life for -a fairly lengthened time, and Messrs Larnach, Calder, Jeffery, and Sanders will take their seats on the council for the first time. It was close on^ 1 ! o'clock before the result of the poll Was announced. None of the councillors delivered addresses. An asterisk denotes that the candidate was a member of the old council:— * *JAMES JOHN CLARK ... 7982 DAVID LARNACH ... ... 7029 *ISAAO GREEN 6909 •MATTHEW BRADLEY ... 6885 *JAMES S. DOUGLAS 6358 *JOHN BRADLEY SHACKLOCK .-...-. 6793 ♦CHARLES H. HAYWARD 6652 *JOHN WILSON 6534 JOHN M'DONALD 6292 *JOHN H. HANCOCK 6258 GEORGE CALDER 6000 *WALTER A. SCOTT 5903 *EDWIN SINCOCK 5665 "WILLIAM B. TAVERNER 5591 JAMES JEFFERY 5577 JAMES H. WALKER 5545 *JOHN THOMPSON 5516 HENRY T. 'SANDERS" 5255 [Elected.] *John Lunn 5153 •Charles J. Thorn ... ... ... 5089 David Murray 4663 John C. Arbucklo .... 4463 Hyam Brasch 3906 ST. KILDA MAYORALTY. Considerable interest was displayed in the three-cornered contest for the St. Kilda mayoralty, and the claims of each of the candidates were supported with no little confidence. Those with inside knowledge, however, had a shrewd idea as to how the voting would go, and the result came as no surprise to them. Though the interest was keen, the total of 1572 votes cast out of a total of 3603 electors cannot by any means be called a heavy poll. The voting resulted as follows: Votes. ADAM DAVID EDGAR 882 Hugh William Allen 340 Robert William Hall 338 Informal, 24. PORT CHALMERS MAYORALTY. MR STEVENSON RETURNED. At Port Chalmers a lively interest was displayed in the elections, especially in the contest for the mayoralty, the polling being unusually heavy* The voting for the mayoralty was as follows: JOHN M'DONA'LD STEVENSON ... 745 Thomas Scollay 449 PORT CHALMERS COUNCIL. The voting was as follows: WM. JONES 678 W. G. COLEMAN 673 D. M. MAWSON 671 W. LUNN 665 W. LOVE 662 J. R. ALLAN 653 JOHN M'LACHLAN 653 J. TAIT ... ... 630 I. O. ISBISTER 622 P. D. M'DONALD 567 J. Powell 532 B. Leftwich 525 A. Campbell 483 R. Pryde 434 R. C. Lindsay 429 E. Young 429

WEST HARBOUR COUNCIL ROTHESAY WARD. ALEX. TODD ROBERTSON 150 THOS. HERBT. HARRIDGE 147 JAMES ROBB 130 John Duncan Cameron 90 BALCLUTHA. The voting for the mayoralty was as follows : WILLIAM BUNTEN 238 Alex. M'Neil 204 Informal, 6. WELLINGTON MAYORALTY. WELLINGTON, April 30. The election for the mayoralty resulted as follows: — Votes. J P. LUKE (retiring Mayor) 7266 J. Read (Labour) 6343 W. H. P. Barber 3615 MAYORALTY OF CHRISTCHURCH. DR THACKER ELECTED. ' y CHRISTCHURCH, April 30. The election for the mayoralty resulted as follows: — Dr THACKER, M.P. (Canal League) 5948 J. J. Dougall (Citizens' Association) 5747 J. M''Combs, M.P. (Labour) 2306 OTHER ELECTIONS. AUCKLAND, May 1. Auckland City elected Mr A. J. Entrican, Miss Melville, Messrs H. D. Heather, J. Bloodworth, Bagnall, E. H. Davis, Holdsworth, Mrs Maguire, Messrs Knight, Warnock, Nerheny, Mackay, M. J. Savage, Burton, Dempsey, Baildon, Paterson, Hall, Skelton, G. Davis, Trevithiek, and Bnnsden. Eighteen old members were returned. The two ladies were both members of the retiring council. Messrs Bloodworth, Savagg, and G. Davis are Labour representatives. For the Harbour Board Messrs Alison, Adams, Bond, Carr, Clay, Davis, Entrican, Hutchinson, Heather, Leyland, Mackenzie, Teasdale, Wallace, and Wynyard. were elected. • For the Hospital Board Dr Florence Keller and Messrs Nerheny, M'Kay, Savage, and Knight, in addition to the six members previously declared elected, were, returned. Devonport elected Mr H. W. King as Mayor. For Onehunga Mr J. Park was elected, for Takapuna Mr Bloomfield, for Birkenhead Mr J. M'Phail, and for Pukokohe Mr H. G. Watson. WHAKATANE, May 1. Mr F. Moore was elected Mayor. WHANGAREI, May 1. For the mayoralty Mr John Samuel Dent was re-elected, defeating, Mr Donald Alexander M'Lean by a majority of 100. TAURANGA, April 30. The following is the result of the mayoral election:—B. Dive, 344; C. E. MacMillan, 244. DARGAVILLE, April 30. In the mayoral election R. E. Hornblow defeated A. J. Stallworthy bv 241 votes. HAMILTON; May 1. The Saturday half-holiday was approved of by a large majority. Wednesday was formerly observed. TE KUITI, May 1. Mr G. P. Finlay was elected Mayor by a large majority. Saturday was chosen for the hall'holiday. GISBORNE,. April 30. The Gisborne mavoral election resulted as follows:—G. Wildish, 1286; G. C. Munns, 780. NAPIER, April 30. The mayoral election resulted as follows: J. V. Brown, M.P., 1714; H.' Hill, 1692. .„.• > May 1. A mistake discovered about midnight in the mayoral polling left Mr J. V. Brown, MP., with a majority of three. There are persistent rumours of other mistakes and the recount Tfesult is awaited with much interest. DANNEVIRKE, May 1. The mayoral election resulted:—Anderson 818, Thomson 356. WANGANUI, May 1, The mayoral election resulted: —Macky (returned), 1796; Sigly, 1472. PALMERSTON NORTH, April 30. The voting for the mayoralty was as follows:—J. A. Nash, 1664; W. Thomson, 954. The following have been elected to tho council: —Messrs Beale, Broad, Bryant,. Crabb, Graham, Hodgens, Lancaster, Spooner, Hodder. NEW PLYMOUTH, April 30. The mayoral election resulted as follows: C. H. Burgess (sitting Mayor), 1557; G. Blanchard, 489. The figures for the council are not available yet. For the Inglewood mayoralty Cr Sutherland defeated Cr Buckley by 194 votes to 188. The Eltham mayoral election resulted thus.—G. W. Taylor, 29; T. B. Crump (sitting Mayor), 247. May 1. Mr Burgess was re-elected Mayor. All the Labour candidates for the Borough Council, Hospital Board, and Harbour Board were defeated. STRA.TFORD, April 30. The Stratford mayoral election resulted as follows:—J. W. M'Millan (sitting Mayor), 615; J. W. Boon, 594. HAWERA, April 30. The mayoral election resulted as follows: Dixon, 603; M'Neill, 399. The result of the election of councillors will not be available in time to teleeraph it to-night. MASTERTON, April 30. The votins for the mayoralty was as follows:—W. H. Jackson, 1427; Pierce Cotter, 597.

EKETAHUNA, May 1. There was a full polling at the municipal elections, less than 20 available votes being unrecorded. Mr T. Parsons was elected Mayor. For the council Messrs Fail-brother, Hutchinson,. Olsen, Rowden, Mead, Harrison, and Greathoad headed the' poll. The two last-named tied, and a recount is necessary. The Wednesday half-holiday was carried. _ WELLINGTON, April 30. The Karori mayoral election resulted as follows:—B. G. IT. Burn, 255; W. Skegg, 288. The councillors elected are: —J. Burns, J. Caughlcy, J. C Fulton, E. Harrison, J. W. Henderson, F. F. Laurenson, T. A. Munt, L. G. Porter, R. L. Tingey. The contest for the Eastbourne mayoralty resulted as follows:—F. 11. Mather, 315; P. Levi, 206; C. Russell, 72. The following have been elected to the council:—R. E. Manley, H. Foley, 11. Black, T. W. F. Magsden, W. R. C. Macpherson, C. L. Green, H. G. Mayer, S. F. Fisher. The retiring Mayor was successful at Petono, tho voting being:—M'Ewan, 1179; London, 1051, The following have been elected to tho council:—B. F. Beclingfield, J. L. Churchouso, Gr. Cook, J. Kyle, W.

Cox, E. Tovey, C. Brock!ebank, A. Anderson, W. Hay. • Tho mayoral election at Miramar resulted in S. M. Stone defeating Frederic Townsend (tho present Mayor) by 699 votes to 207. The following' councillors have been elected:—E. Collie, B. T. Gardiner, Mrs M'Vicar, J. Hicks, H. K. Robertshaw, E. J. Barnett. The only member of the outgoing council re-elected is Mr Robertehaw. In the mayoral election at Carterton W. Howard Booth defeated David Reed by .378 votes to 164. The following have been elected to the council: —E. H. Smart, T. Hughes, E. M'Kenzie, W. T. Slater, B. Trapp, W. Fisher, J. C. Hart, E. Eagle, jun., J. Preddy. The following have been elected to tho Lower Hurt Council: —W. Knight, ,AMacaskill, A. J. Hobbs, A. J. West, W. G. Meldrum, W. B. Hardy, E. J. Guinness, W. Cotton, J. Michell. May 1. The following were elected for the Wellington Council:— R, A. Wright, C. J. B. Norwood, L. M'Kenzie, M. F. Luokie ; J. Hutcheson (secretary of. Tramways Union), J. O. Sharland, W. H. Bennett, A. R. Atkinson, G. Frost, P. Fraser, M.P., J. M. Dale, C. H. Chapman, T. Forsyth, W. J. Thompson, and J. Glover. Nine old councillors were re-elected. The new members inciude four Labourites (Messrs Fraser, Chapman, Glover, and Hutcheson). Harbour Board: W. Cable, R. A. Wright, C. J. Norwood, C. H. Chapman, J. W. M'Ewan, M. W. Welch. Hospital Board: Rev. H. van Staveren, Mr C. M. Luke, Rev. J. , K. Elliott, Mr J. Huteh&son. Mrs J. Aitkon, Messrs F. Castle, W. J. Thompson, C.' H. Chapman, Mrs M'Vicar, Mrs Snow, Mr" G. J. Petherick, Mrs Beck, Messrs J. Smith, and J. Glover. In the Hawera mayoral election Mr Dixon was re-elected. For Patea the voting' was:— Christensen, 227; Hicks, 136. For Foxton, Mr J. Ohrisall was re-elected Mayor unopposed. Four cut of five of the Labour candidates nominated for the council were elected. NELSON,: April 30. In the city mayoral contest W. W. Snodgrass (sitting Mayor) polled 123* votes and W. Lock 1230. May 1. A recount in the mayoral election increases Mr W. W. Snodgrass's majority to 94. BLENHEIM, April 30. For the mayoralty J. J. Corry (sitting Mayor) defeated A. M'Cailum (ex-Mayor). The retiring council was elected with the exception that G. Moseley was returned in place of E. Parker, who did not stand.. WESTPORT, April 30. Mr Arthur Leaver was elected unopposed as Mayor, and enters on his seventh year in office. For the Borough Council (nine members wanted) the voting was:—J. Menzies, 996; E. Fair, 811; J. Enright, 800; F. S. Wood, 770; D. M'Kenzie, 751; H. T. Parry, 726; F. Roche, 663; S. Jenkins, 645; R. Wickes, 632. There were "six defeated candidates. CHRISTCHURCH, April 30. The following have been elected to the Christchurch City Council:—Central Ward —Messrs Nicholls, Harper, M'Kellar, J. C. Jameson, Agar, and Flesher (all Citizens' Association); Sydenham Ward—Messrs Burgoyne, Armstrong, and Langley (all Labour), and Peek (Independent); Linwood Ward — Messrs Herbert, Sullivan, and Hunter (all Labour); St. Albans Ward—Messrs Beanland, Andrews, and Williams (Citizens' Association). The Labour party gains one seat on the council. Mr E. J. Howard, one of the most prominent Labourites in Christchurch, was defeated. The Woolston mayoral election resulted as follows:—O. Hill, 324; D. Rowes, 252; G. S. White, 301. May I.' The poll fcr the Lyttelton Harbour Board resulted in the return of Dr Thacker, Messrs Holland, Sorensen, Kayo "for Christchurch, Flood for Lyttelton, and the Hon. R. Moore for Kaiapoi and Rangiora. One return _ is still to come for Ashburton. Mr Galbraith is returned, but the second seat is doubtful. TIMARU, April 30. The municipal elections were given an unusual interest -as the six Labour candidates asked for a ticket vote. Of 19 candidates only five were retiring councillors, and three were former members of the council. Mr W. Rajmaond, solicitor, the present deputy-Mayor, was elected Mayor unopposed, Mr J. Maling not standing At Geraldine the retiring Mayor (Mr B. R. Macdonald) was re elected. Keen interest was displayed in the mayoral election, which resulted as follows:—Evans, 478; Dash (sitting Mayor), 376. OAMARU, April 30. The Oamaru mayoral election resulted as follows: —James M'Diarmid (ex councillor), 848; W. H. Frith, 484. The following councillors have been elected:—W. Clarke, 1607; J- M. Forrester, 1096; J. T. Calder, 1042; D. Miller, 1041; R. Mahan, 1040; A. W. Woodward, 1029; D. Sinclair, 1021; H. G. Deal, 991; J. Rodman, 954; C. Swinard, 908; M. F. Cooney, 899; R. Snadden, 870. GORE, April 30. The following is the result of the mayoral election : —Andrew Martin, 511; J. C. Ray, 415; I>. M'Dougall (sitting Mayor), 257; Thomas Rhodes, 56. INVERCARGILL, April 30. For the mayoralty John Stead was reelected, defeating T. D. Lennie by 1673 votes to 1559. (Fbou Oub Own Correspondents.) ARROWTOWN, May 1. Mr Andrew Simson was re-elected Mayor of Queenstown, the voting being: Simson 152, D. F. Sutherland 70, A. C. M'Donald 65. ALEXANDRA, May 1. For the mayoral contest the voting was: Wm. Black (re-elected) ,278, Jas. J. O'Kane 89. For tho councillors (eight seats), tho voting was:—*Arehibald Ashworth 236, *Wm." Bringans 222, Arthur W. Whittlestbn 208, *Edward Marslin 198, *George Campbell 197, *Charles Weaver 190, "William Noble 175, Henry H. Hull 147*, John Holbway 118, *Charles E. Murphy 106*. The retiring councillors are distinguished by asterisks KAITANGATA, May 1. Considerably more interest was displayed in the municipal election at Kaitangata on Wednesday thai} has been the case in former years. The names of more than 230 electors wero added to the municipal roll of 1917-18, this being largely due to the efforts of the Labour Party and tho supporters of the returned soldier candidate, Mr A. G. Thompson. Tho Labour Party's nominees wero: Messrs Braidwood, Fenton, and Ramsdon. Of the remaining nine candidates four—Messrs Aitchison, Rutherford, Pilgrim, and Stephenson Bought re-election

to tho council, and the position of these candidates was never in doubt. Messrs Purvis, Clark, and W. Williams, together with Mr Thompson, constitute the untried in the municipal affairs who secured seat 3. Over 400 persons crowded before the booth when tho returning officer declared the result of the poll a 3 follows: —Robert Aitchison 343, James Rutherford 342, Joseph Pilgrim 338, Abel George Thompson 337, Thomas Purvis 334, Gordon A. Smaill 323, William StoDhcnson 311, George Clark 300, William Williams 282 (elected), Charles H. Williams 237, William M. Braidwood 195, John W. Fenton 185, John Ramsden 172. THE WELLINGTON ELECTIONS. DEFEAT OF LABOUR CANDIDATE FOR MAYORALTY. A MULTIPLICITY OF "TICKETS/' (From Oub Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Mav 1. The poll in the local elections yesterday was rather smaller than usual, some 17,000 voters only taking the trouble to record their votes. Tho surprise or the day was the decisive defeat of Mr Barber for the mayoralty. It was thought that he would run Mr Luke quite close, and that the result might be that the Labour man would get in. Now it is clear that some of the votes that would have gone to Mr Barber wore swung round to Mr Luke at the last moment owing to the fear of a Labour victory. It was commonly anticipated that Labour would win some seats on the council, and a representation of four members is not more than Labour is entitled to have on a proportional basis. There were three tickets opposed to Labour. Some candidates were on all three tickets, and those on every ticket were returned, but there were a number of the candidates who were on one ticket only, and this caused a certain diffusion of the anti-Labour vote, allowing Labour to win four seats. The multiplicity of tickets was due in the first instance to dissatisfaction with the choice made by the Greater Wellington Townplanning and Municipal Electors' Association, a body with a large name and a small membership. One of the amusing successes of the election is that of Mr J. Hutchison. This is not the Mr Hutchison who was so well known in general politics in the Seddonian days, and who has sat for periods on the City Council. That Mr Hutchison was not a candidate. The Hutchison _ elected is secretary of the Tramways Union. It is known beyond doubt that intimate frier Js of Mr Hutchison voted for him thinking that they were voting for the ex-councillor, and many people must have done the same. It is impossible otherwise: to explain Mr Hutchison's success, for he is not an influential member of the Labour party. _ _ He never speaks in public, and few citizens know, him by sight. Yet he, was fifth on the list of elected councillors. Mr Chapman was an active member of the Second Division League when that body was active. One of the interesting indications of the elections in the suburban boroughs of Karbri and Miramar is that the electors in these boroughs have declared unmistakably for amalgamation, with the city, and the amalgamation of the*se suburbs with the city, which now must come soon, will be an important step in the progress of Greater Wellington.