THE MAYORALTY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 59, 16 April 1914, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY.

MR R.M. SPEIRS. :

SOCIAL-DEMOCRAT CANDIDATE.

Last night the Social-Demoerat Party selected Mr Robert Millard Speirs as the Party's nominee for the Mayoralty of the city. ' ; " Mr Speirs is a land and estate agent, and on appearance at least is* the veiry artithesis of a militant Eed Federationist. . His life has been a varied,one, and has been crowded with more incident than conies along the way of the ordinary individual. He was born in Durham, England, of Scottish parents. The family returned to Scotland a. few years later,'.and settled near Glasgow. The youthful Speirs was hot long in getting into holts with the world.- At the age of nine he joined the .army of child-workers, and became a pit. boy at one of the collieries. Subsequently he was employed at various occupations in engineering and mining works, until he was 18 years of. age. Then came emigration to Australia, where Mr Speirs had employment with a kerosene and shale company in New South Wales,* and afterwards as • a miner at " Newcastle." tEyentually he became associated .with the Army, and as an officer, in that organisation, he came to Ne.w Zealand in 1888.. Prior to his resignation from, the Army in 1898 he had held the position of adjutant. He had established in this city- -the Prison Gate Home, and was also-in charge of the work in Christchurch for a considerable time. Saving resigned"' from the Army, Mr Speirs started in his present business of land and estate agent. '" " ~

During the past 15" years Mr Speirs has taken s an active part in public affairs. He has been a leader in the No-license movement, and - was a member of the Licensing Bench. [He is'a member of the St. Albans School Committee, anjd has been a justice of the peace, for seven years.' He contested the.last municipal, election as a. candidate for the-Central Ward, and was not successful. He is now in his fifty-second year., Mr Speirs stands for the Social-Demo-cratic platform," which is as follows: . . l.'Lake Coleridge scheme for supplying ...electrical jenergy for. lighting and power, adopted by the ratepayers, to be given, fullest effect, by provision of all electrical • appliances in connection with installations by the City Council, for purchase by consumers at lowest possible -cost.

2..Adoption of the late T. E. Taylor's road scheme.

3. Opening of municipal quarry immediately. • 4. Securing a site fflr a town hall. 5., AH work, mhere practicable, to be carried out by day labour,- - wages for labourers to be not less than 1/3 per hour.,. ; 6. Provision of municipal markets and cool storage in the city. 7. Unification of all eivie and definition of metropolitan "area. 8. Proportional representation: singlt transferable vote. . . . 9. Municipal milk supply.