MAYORAL POLL ON OCTOBER 19

Southland Times, Issue 23634, 8 October 1938, Page 8

MAYORAL POLL ON OCTOBER 19

THREE CANDIDATES NOMINATED FORMER COUNCILLORS AND DEPUTY-MAYOR Messrs J. R. Hanan, H. Ritchie and H. J. Farrant will contest the election for the Mayoralty of Invercargill, which will be held on October 19. Nominations closed at the City Council offices yesterday at noon. Mr Farrant s nomination was received at 11.50 am. and Mr Ritchie’s at 11.56 a.m. Mr Hanan’s nomination was received on September 29. The nominations are as follows:— Josiah Ralph Hanan, of 177 Leet street, nominated by Duncan McNeill, Helen Birss, Michael Miller, John Murray, Abraham Wachner and Arthur J. Service. . , Herbert James Farrant, of 89 Nelson street, nominated by Frank Holloway, James Andrew Storrie, Alan Fitch Clark, Mark Lewis and Henry Philip Campbell. Hugh Ritchie, of 75 Layard street, nominated by David William McKay and Russell Hosie. The returning officer (Mr W. F. Sturman) announced the nominations at 12 o’clock and Mr Ritchie and Mr Farrant then gave short speeches in the Council Chambers. There were only a few members of the City Council and ratepayers present. “Mr John Miller and I were personal friends and we were councillors together for a number of years” said Mr Farrant. As an admirer and friend of Mr Miller he would promise to carry out his policy if he were elected. He had been approached by a well-known organization and a number of citizens to allow his nomination to go forward and he was in a position to give his whole time and attention to the office. Mr Ritchie said that he had had experience on all the committees of the City Council, except the Baths and Library Committee. He had been chairman of the Finance Committee for the past five years. He felt that his work might allow an attendance of about an hour only at the Town Hall each. day. It was probable, however, that if he were elected he would go along one night every two or three weeks. He realized that his time would be restricted and he would give half the honorarium to the Mayor’s Relief Fund.

THE CANDIDATES

Mr Hanan, who is at present DeputyMayor, has been a city councillor since 1935. He is a son of Mrs J. M. Hanan and the late Mr J. A. Hanan and a nephew of the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, and a former Minister of the Crown and Mayor of Invercargill. Mi Hanan was educated at the Southland Boys’ High School, the Waitaki Boys’ High School and Otago University. Before beginning practice as a solicitor in Invercargill he travelled extensively in Europe, visiting Finland, Denmark, Russia, Germany and Italy. He is an active member of the Southland Rugby Referees’ Association, president of the Southland Table Tennis Association and treasurer and librarian of the Southland Law Society. 1

Mr Ritchie was born in Invercargill. His parents landed at Bluff 75 years ago and his mother is still alive. Mr Ritchie served for three years and a-half in 'the Great War. He has been a member of the staff of the Southland Building and Investment Society for 33 years. He was elected a director of the society at the last annual meeting, being placed at the top of the poll; Mr Ritchie has been a director of several companies and at present he is chairman of directors of the Clifden Lime Company. He is a past president of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association and last year he retired from the position of Dominion vice-president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association. He was a member of the City Council for 'the past five years and was also a member from 1924 to 1926. He is a foundation member of the Southland Aero Club and a keen supporter of the sport of rowing. Mr Ritchie has played bowls for many years and is a foundation member of the Waihopai and Returned Soldiers’ Association’s clubs. Mr Farrant has been a resident of Invercargill for the past 30 years. For 10 years after his arrival he worked at his trade of a compositor. In 1918 he became secretary of the Southland War Funds Association and engaged in business as a public secretary until 1931. He then joined the Craig Printing Company, but after a period with that firm he returned to secretarial work. Mr Farrant became a foundation member of-the Labour Party in October 1910, and in the following year he contested the Invercargill seat as the first official Labour candidate. He again contested the seat in 1919. Though unsuccessful he polled well on each occasion. He was a member of the City Council for six years and was on several committees of the council. He has also been a member of the Invercargill Rotary Club, president of the War Funds Association, vice-president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and vice-president of the Royal Humane Society of New Zealand.