MAYORAL ELECTION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17017, 16 April 1923, Page 8

MAYORAL ELECTION

LABOUR ENTERS CONTEST. There are indications that there will be a straight-out contest for the Christchurch mayoralty between Mr J. A. Flesher, the nominee of the Citizens’ Association, and Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.. who has been selected as the official Labour candidate. Mr J. Hamlet, who had previously announced that he would be a candidate, has withdrawn from the contest, on the grounds that he does not wish to be the buffer between the candidates representing Capital and Labour. The decision of the Labour Party to nominate Mr Sullivan was announced on Saturday evening, when the votes cast in the ballot to decide the question of whether the party should contest the mayoralty or not were counted. The ballot resulted in a four to one majority in favour of contesting the election. and as Mr Sullivan was the only candidate nominated for selection, his nomination will stand. After the result- of the ballot was known. Mr James M’Cullough, a former l abour councillor, was asked to allow himself to be nominated as one of the ton Labour candidates lor the City Council election, but he declined nomination for health reasons. Mr E. E. T.angler. another ex-councillor, was then approached, an cl he has consented to nomination. MR SULLIVAN’S POSITION. Ml- D. G. Sullivan, M.P., tLe Labour candidate for the Mayoralty, states today that he very greatly appreciated the confidence that had been, reposed in him by the Labour Party in Christchurch. *' I had done nothing in any wav to secure my own nomination for the position, but it was very evident from the vote polled that Mr Flesher Aras nob acceptable as a Mayoral candidate so far as the working men and women of Christchurch were concerned.” said Mr Sullivan. In regard to his own qualifications for the position Mr Sullivan said lie could only say that for twenty years he had been keenly interested and closely identified -with the public life of the community and that for eight years he had been a member of the City Council. He was not quite the senior member of the council, but al- “ Some objection is being urged against my candidature because I am | already a member of Parliament and 1 that it would be very difficult for me , +o do adequate justice to both positions.” said Mr Sullivan. “To that objection I may point out that the j practice of members of Parliament ! holding responsible erne position* ; s ! quite a general one throughout the i world. In Great Britain and in Con tinerital countries men are discharging the duties of both positions. In Christchurch we have had the late Mr T. E. Taylor, M.P., and Dr Thacker holding both positions, while in Wellington the Mayoral chair has been occupied for several terms by Mr R. A. Wright. M.l\, and previously by Sir John Luke. M.P. Ido not think that objection to my candidature is a serious one. If elected I believe I can disI charge the duties of that very high office with satisfaction to my fellow