WAIMATE A NEW MAYOR

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIX, Issue 21966, 19 May 1941, Page 3

WAIMATE A NEW MAYOR

Mr G. Dash Defeated Election of Mr Boland Majority Of 238 Votes A new Mayor was elected in Wahnate at the local body elections on Saturday. Mr W. F. Boland defeated the sitting Mayor (Mr G. Dash) by 695 votes to 457. The The Mayoral election was the flrat contested in Waimate for 10 years, and Mr Dash had held office continuously from 1925, and was also Mayor between 1917 and 1918. There was a fairly heavy poll, 1150 votes being recorded against » a total on the roU of 1661, but the voting jyas no heavier than in the Mayoral election of 1931, when 1141 votes were recorded out of a total of 1671 on the roll. Mr Boland was educated at the Waitaki Boys’ High School and Victoria University College. He came to Waimate in 1924 and Joined the firm of Messrs Boland and Knell, solicitors. He was elected to the Waimate Borough Council on May 3, 1933, gaining 548 votes at an ordinary election, and was a member for two years. From 1935 until Saturdays election, he did not take a very prominent part in public activities, excepting perhaps, his keen interest in the Douglas Social Credit movement. „ Mr Dash was born in Essex, Eng-’ land, and arrived in Waimate with his parents when he was four years old. His father went into business in the town in 1876. There are only a few public organisations in Waimate of any consequence on which Mr Dash has not served, and he has also gained prominence on organisations and local bodies outside Waimate. His presidency of the national executive of the Motor Traders’ Association and also of the national executive of the Coachbuilders’ Association, might be mentioned as instances. He served on the Timaru High Schools Board of Governors, the South Canterbury Hospital Board, and is at present chairman of the South Canterbury Power Board. Even though he has served with conspicuous ability on so many organisations, perhaps his greatest interest has been Waimate, and to him credit must be due for the favourable reputation the town has gained all over New Zealand. As far as the election for the Waimate Borough Council was concerned, there were 11 nominations for nine seats, and the new Council will consist of Messrs A. Lyall, R. H. White, W. G. Paul, G. R. Watters, S. I. Fitch, A. G. McHardy, H. H. Leathwick, R. G. A. Sawell and H. J. Bowron. The defeated candidates were' Messrs P. G. Berry and J. Moore. CANDIDATES SPEAK “I faced Mr Dash more confidently with you behind me than I face you now with Mr Dash behind me,” Mr Boland told a large crowd which had assembled outside the Council chambers to hear the result. “I wish to thank all those who worked so hard for me and to express mv gratitude for the magnificent vote. When you have people coming over from Suva to vote for you, you can’t go wrong (cheers). I desire to thank the returning officer. Mr Runciman, for the prompt way in which he announced the result of a very large poll. He had it out at 6.30, which was a very creditable B- mance. I would also like to the newspapers for the very fair and impartial hearing they gave me in this campaign. I would like to thank the defeated Mayor for the fair though hard fight he put up. I regret displacing a man who has given such long and meritorious service to the community. It is a wonderful record of service, and it is fortunate that it has been terminated by such a good man as myself.” “I have only one feeling at this moment, and that is a feeling of immense relief,” Mr Dash stated. ‘An enormous responsibility has been rolled off my shoulders. For 18 years I have served you to the best of my ability, and have, in duty bound in wartime, offered to continue those services. You have declined the offer. I am immensely relieved, and I most sincerely thank you.” All the Council candidates addressed the crowd, most of them congratulating the Incoming Mayor and referring to the service the retiring Mayor had given the town. Details of the election were:— Mayoralty Forester’s Council Hall Chambers Tl. Boland, W. F. .. 253 442 695 Dash, G 191 266 457 Borough Council Lyall, A 392 617 1009 White, R. H. .. 395 608 1003 Paul, W. G. .. 373 549 922 Watters, G. R. .. 379 535 614 Fitch, S. 1 366 546 912 McHardy, A. G. . 354 536 890 Leathwick, H. H. 332 485 817 Sawell, R. G. A. 328 469 797 Bowron, H. J. .. 292 451 743 Not Elected Berry, P. G. .. 122 254 376 Moore, J 103 210 318 At the last Mayoral election, which was held in 1931, Mr G. Dash obtained a majority of 111 over Mr F. T. Wallace, the voting being Mr Dash 624 and Mr Wallace 5.3. The number on the roll on that occasion was 1671, and the number of votes cast was about 1140. County Election There was only one contest for a seat on the Waimate County Council, and that was in the Makikihi riding. The chairman (Mr J. Bitchener) polled 143 votes against 88 by Mr John Simmons. There were 288 votes in the ridin- and 233 were cast, which showed that polling was very heavy. Booth returns were:— Gunn’s Hook Makikihi Corner School School Tl. Bitchener, J. 42 72 31 143 Simmons, J. 12 20 56 88 The election was the first Mr Bitchener has contested for the Makikihi seat in 26 years. He was elected to the Council in 1908. GOLF There were 25 pairs competing in a qualifying round for the Hamilton Cup on the Waimate golf links on Saturday. For a time the weather made conditions trying. Those who qualified were:— T. Waldie and Mrs Waldie 87-16-71, Miss A. Jones and J. McAra 92-18-74, Miss E. Bitchener and I. Schrader 94-20-74. Mrs J. Healey and T. F. Healey 89-12-77, D. Macdonald and R. Murchison 91-14-77, Miss B. Bitchener and M. Leadbetter 98-20-78. Mrs F. Ruddenklau and J. Mitchell 93-15-78, Mrs J. W. Hayes and R. McDonald 101-22-79. Other scores recorded were:—G. Aitken and Mrs Aitken 104-24-80, S. I. Fitch and Mrs Fitch 105-25-80, Mrs A. Dyer and L. Ball 99-18-81, Miss McKenzie and J. W. Tennant 98-16-82, Mrs E. B. Fraser and S. W. Laurenson 101-19-82. The first eight pairs will now take part in match play. MEMORIAL SERVICE A memorial service recalling the pioneering work done by Mrs Ann Hubbard, who died in Waimate recently at the age of 102, was held in St. Paul's Methodist Church yesterday. A tribute was also paid by the preacher, the Rev. A. T. Kent, to Driver N. M. McDonald and Mrs L. Graham. ASSAULTED WIFE Thomas Henry Lewis, in the Waimate Magistrate’s Court on Saturday, before Messrs G. Dash and F. Pollock,

Justices of the Peace, was sentenced to two months’ hard Irbour for assaulting his wife. Mr G. R. Watters appeared for Lewis, who pleaded guilty. STRIPED FLANELETTES FLORAL WINCEYETTES PLAIN WINCEYETTES JUST LANDED. BE EARLY. STRANGES - Temuka