MAYOR RETURNED BY LARGE MAJORITY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20103, 9 May 1935, Page 10

MAYOR RETURNED BY LARGE MAJORITY

ONE NEW MEMBER OF COUNCIL The municipal elections throughout New Zealand took place yesterday, and keen interest was displayed in most centres. In Timaru there were contests for all the local bodies, but in the country districts the sitting Mayors were returned unopposed. The contest for the Timaru Mayoralty was keen, the retiring Mayor, Mr T. W. Satterthwaite, being returned by a majority of 871 over the second candidate, Mr G. Benstead, former Deputy-Mayor. All eight members of the Borough Council who sought re-election were successful, the new councillor being Mr A. S. Kinsman. The three sitting members of the Hospital Board were returned, and the two sitting members of the Harbour Board who stood again were also returned. The new member on the Board is Mr D. C. Turnbull. The personnel of the Power Board has been altered, Mr F. J. Cook defeating Mr H. J. Mathers. The other two sitting members were re-elected. The representation of some of the country districts on local bodies also ' underwent a change, Messrs B. R. Macdonald and W. Scott losing their seats on the Power Board, while Mr G. D. Selbie was defeated on the Hospital Board.

So far as Timaru was concerned, the day passed off very quietly. In fact, but for the sight of signs •'Polling Booth” at various points of the town, there would have been nothing to indicate that an election was in progress. Election day in 1931 and again in 1933 was marked by cold conditions, but yesterday the weather was fine and moderately warm. The morning was beautifully fine, and a number of women took the opportunity of recording their votes in case the weather should change in the afternoon. The sky did cloud over somewhat, but there was no indication of rain.

the evening wore on, the crowd increased considerably, and by the time the final figures of the mayoralty were known, several hundred people had assembled. At some of the booths during the afternoon, the polling was comparatively light, but at one or two the polling was much heavier than anticipated, and at two booths the clerks ran out of ballot papers. The first result reached the Returning Officer at 7.17. This was from the Mechanics Institute, North Street, and gave Mr Satterthwaite 65 votes, Mr Benstead 41, Mr Paterson 27 and Mr Koller 16. The second return from St. Paul’s, Highfield, gave Mr Satterthwaite a lead, his figures being 98 as against Mr Benstead’s 39. At High Street, which was the third return received, Mr Benstead made up some of the leeway, polling 148 to Mr Satterthwaite’s 105. At Kensington, Mr Benstead had a majority of 22, and at the South School 15. At the West School, Mr Benstead had a lead of three, but when it came to St. John’s, Highfield, Mr Satterthwaite went ahead with a jump, securing a majority of 180 over Mr Benstead. At the Bay Hall the figures gave the sitting mayor a big lead, his majority at this booth being 197. The issue was placed beyond doubt when the Beswick Street booth figures came in, these giving Mr Satterthwaite a majority of 134. With 11 returns to hand, the totals were Benstead 1041, Koller 172, Paterson 245, Satterthwaite 1445. The Chalmers Hall returns saw Mr Satterthwaite jump into an unbeatable position, his majority here being 224. Clear Majority. With 14 returns to hand, Mr Satterthwaite had a clear majority over the other three candidates of 187. The next return saw this majority increased by 30. With one return to corpe, the figures were: Satterthwaite 2886, Benstead 1977, Paterson 497, Koller 342. This gave Mr Satterthwaite a lead of 909 over Mr Benstead, and a clear majority of 70 over the other three candidates. The last return was a long while coming to hand. This was from All Saints. Waimataitai, but it could not possibly affect the result. These figures came to hand at 8.8 p.m„ and gave the sitting Mayor a majority over Mr Benstead of 871 votes. Mr Satterthwaite was six votes short of a clear majority over the other three candidates. Mr Koller failed to poll sufficient to save his deposit. After the disposal of the mayoralty, the other results commenced to come in, the first being for the Hospital Board. This was from the Omnibus Garage, High Street, and gave the sitting members of the Board, Messrs Clark and Simpson and Dr Paterson a lead. At 8.20 the first return for the Power Board came in, and this gave the sitting members, Messrs Oakey, Hart and Mathers a lead, although Mr Cook was only a few votes behind Mr Mathers. A few minutes later came the first Harbour Board figures, these being from St. John’s. These gave Messrs Goodman, Bradley and Turnbull a big start, and proved a reliable guide as to the ultimate result.

The town was only moderately busy in the morning, but between noon and 2 o'clock, the customary lunch hour for shops, offices and business premises, the polling clerks experienced a fairly busy time. Throughout the afternoon there was a steady stream of peop;e to nearly all the booths, and. the real rush was experienced between 5 o’clock and closing time, which was 7 p.m. During these two hours the clerks had practically no respite, and they sighed with relief when the doors were closed. Their work was by no means over, however, for they had then to set to and count the votes. As was anticipated, the heaviest polling was in the booths which were situated right in town, and the results from these were naturally some time in coming to hand. All the staffs worked efficiently and expeditiously, however, and the result was made known to the public at an early hour.

Interest in Mayoralty Chief interest in Timaru centred in the Mayoralty. At the last three elections the contest was a triangular one, but on this occasion there were four candidates seeking office, and to this fact could be attributed the interest displayed. All four candidates took the platform and addressed electors in various parts of the town. The attendances at these meetings were comparatively small, and gave no indication that the polling would be so heavy as it turned out to be. For the nine seats on the Council there were 17 candidates, but only the Labour candidates took the platform. All the retiring Councillors sought re-election with the exception of Cr. Benstead, who stood for the Mayoralty only. One or two of the fresh candidates had previously stood for Council honours, while others were comparatively unknown to the bulk of the electors. Outside the Mayoralty and the Council, interest centred in the election of three Borough representatives on the Harbour Board. The retiring chairman of the Board (Mr G. T. Dawson) did not seek re-election but the other two‘members, Messrs R. S. Goodman and I. J. Bradley both went to the poll. The other two candidates were Messrs D. C. Turnbull and E. R. Isaacs. For the Power Board the three retiring members sought re-election, while there were two additional candidates. For three seats on the Hospital Board there were six candidates, who included the three retiring members.

Levels County No election was necessary for the Levels County Council, the required number of nominations only being received. The personnel has been altered, however. Mr R. W. Munro replacing Mr C. E. Kerr as the representative of the Otipua riding, Mr Kerr having retired after 20 years’ service. Mr Kerr offered himself as a candidate for the Hospital Board as one of the representatives of the County and Pleasant Point Town District (combined), the two sitting members also stood, necessitating an election. Elections were also necessary for the central and southern districts of the county for representatives on the Harbour Board, the sitting members, Messrs W. T. Ritchie and W. H. Orbell being opposed by Messrs B. E. Evans and A. H. Roberts. Country Districts In the country districts, no elections were necessary for the Mayoralty, all the retiring Mayors being re-elected unopposed. The Waimate Borough Council also was re-elected, but elections were necessary at Temuka and Geraldine. So far as the County Councils were concerned, elections were held at Geraldine and Fairlie. but at Waimate, the Otaio riding was the only one affected. The sitting member, Mr H. B. S. Johnstone, being opposed by Mr J. J. Gregan. For the Temuka riding of the Geraldine County, Mr A. R. Guild was opposed by Mr A. J. Davey for seat on the Harbour Board. For the combined district of Geraldine County and Temuka Borough, the sitting members on the Power Board were opposed by Messrs J. C. South and J. T. Smart. In the Mackenzie County, two candidates stood for the County seat on the Hospital Board, two for the seat on the Power Board, and two for the Fairlie and Opuha ridings on the Harbour Board. Results Come to Hand. Before the town clock struck 7, a score of people had gathered outside the Municipal Chambers, where progress results were to be posted. As

Council Returns. The first return for the Borough Council came to hand at 8.45, the leaders at this booth. West School, being P. C. Vinneli, W. G. Tweedy, J. R. Hart, P. B. Foote and A. G. Foster. The remaining candidates had only 20 or 30 votes between them. With 10 returns to hand, the indications were that the members of the old Council who were seeking re-election would be returned to office, with Messrs Richards and Kinsman fighting for the ninth place. At this stage there were 68 votes in Mr Richards' favour. The very next return, however redilced this lead to six votes, but Mr Richards again went ahead with the next three returns. The position between the pair was decidedly interesting, for with three returns to come, Mr Richards had a lead of only 14. Mr Kinsman jumped to the front after the Woodlands road returns, which gave him a majority of 57, and there was then only one return to come. Curiously enough, both polled the same number of votes at the last booth, and Mr Kinsman thus secured the ninth seat.

lick) and his staff for the efficient manner in which the polling was handled. Votes Polled. The polling yesterday was actually not so heavy as in 1933. At that election the total on the roll was 10,837, and the number of voters who went to the poll was 5850. Yesterday the roll was 11,503, and the number who voted 5978. or 128 more than in 1933, but the roll this year was 666 greater than last election. Gathering Addressed The four Mayoral candidates were well received when they addressed the large gathering in front of the Municipal Chambers from a balcony. The Mayor, in thanking his supporters, said he was proud to be placed at the top of the poll. He assured the gathering that it would always be his earnest endeavour to assure that the support that had been accorded him had not been misplaced. During the campaign he had fought a clean fight. He had not mentioned the names of any of his opponents, but was satisfied to leave the result in the hands of the electors. They all knew that it had been a strenuous campaign on account of some misunderstandings and -if one of Bracken’s poems were to be recited that night it would be “Not Understood.” He was pleased that a majority of electors had placed him in the Mayoral chair and he would do his best in the future, as in the past, to do what he could for the prosperity of the town. “I feel that I represent you all, and I will do all I can for you at any time. I thank you for the honour that you have done me.” (Applause.) Mr Benstead thanked the 2085 voters who gave him their support and the body of workers, who during the campaign had worked assiduously on his behalf, and had stuck to him because they honestly believed he would be able to do something in the public interests. Had it been a straight out contest he would have been at the top of the poll in spite of the fact that the bias of the local newspapers was against him. He ventured to say that it was not the function of the Press or the men in the editorial chairs to insult the intelligence of electors by a direction as to which candidate was a fit and proper person to represent them.

A voice: What about the Legion? Mr Benstead said that the Legion had not been decided in their choice for the Mayoralty. They had left it a’one.

Mr Benstead said he felt that if any test in regard to the intelligence of those occupying the high and mighty editorial seats was made, regarding the overshadowing of the commonsense of the electors, it would be found that they were just ordinary common garden variety citizens who had no right to make any direction. It seemed rather invidious that both local newspapers made no indication other than who the Mayoral candidates fit to represent them were. Mr Benstead thanked the electors for their support, and assured them that on any other occasion they desired to enlist his sympathy, he would be only too willing to offer his services. (Applause.) Mr A. M. Paterson thanked those who had voted for him and added that they were not very numerous. That v. as due, he said, to the fact that he would not have been in the contest had he not been informed that Mr Benstead had withdrawn. After he had committed himself to a number of unemployed who had told him that I'r Benstead was not standing, however, he could not veiy well withdraw. When he saw that Mr Ben-st-ad was in the field he realised that it would be a foregone conclusion that Mr Satterthwaite had to be returned. The only thing he could do in the circumstances was to prevent the Mayor from getting as many votes as he had got. (Laughter.) The unemployed were divided and when they got a divided house they knew the result. Newspapers Congratulated. “I on the other hand congratulate the newspapers,” continued Mr Paterson, “for the space they have given and their fairness in the whole contest.”

A voice: What about “a vote for Benstead is a vote for Satterthwaite.” (Laughter.) Mr Paterson thanked those who had supported him. The criticism passed on the Mayor would do him good; such criticism would do good to all of them. He congratulated Mr Satterthwaite on his splendid victory. (Applause.)

“I have no recriminations. I accept the verdict with composure,” said Mr Koller. “While I congratulate Mr Satterthwaite on his victory I am sorry that I cannot congratulate the electors on their choice.” (Laughter.) The only

With eleven returns in for the Harbour Board, it was certain that the successful candidates would be Messrs Turnbull, Goodman and Bradley, who had a big lead over the other two. The Power Board was much the same, Messrs Oakey, Hart and Cook being well clear of Messrs Mathers and Koller. This meant the defeat of Mr Mathers, one of the sitting members of the Board, the new member being Mr F. J. Cook. The Hospital Board, with 13 returns In, was a foregone conclusion, the sitting members, Messrs Clark and Simpson, and Dr Paterson, being in an unbeatable position. The last return came to hand at 11.40, this being the South School, which was responsible for a hold up in 1933. The early returns came in most expeditiously, reflecting credit on the polling clerks. The arrangements throughout the day and evening worked very smoothly, and credit is due to > the Returning Officer (Mr E. A. Kil- j

regret he had to express was that the gathering that night did not give him and his colleagues the same opportunity of placing their views before them. If they could have got such a meeting as the one that night the candidates would have been pleased to place their views before them. No doubt, however, they received a revelation from Providence as to how to vote. So far as he was concerned the newspapers had been fair to him and he thanked the reporters at the meetings for the excellent reports he and his colleagues had received. He could not speak for the other meetings but he thought that one of Mr Benstead’s, which he had attended, had been given a fair report. Personally he was indebted to the newspaper reporters—they would notice that he said reporters—for the excellent work they did in connection with the reporting of any speeches he and his colleagues had made. Mr Koller thanked the devoted band of supporters who had worked so strenuously in what they believed to be right. They had voted for him because of the platform he stood for. and their belief in his integrity to carry it out. (Applause.) A few minutes before the final figures were announced, Messrs W. G. Tweedy, P. C. Vinneli, P. B. Foote, H. J. Mathers and W. H. Hall addressed the crowd, expressing thanks to the electors for having returned them to office. Mr A. N. Oakey also expressed his thanks for re-election to the Power Board.