A SENSATIONAL ELECTION FOR SYDNEY’S LORD MAYOR.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 955, 27 December 1933, Page 6

A SENSATIONAL ELECTION FOR SYDNEY’S LORD MAYOR.

A Sydney Letter

Alderman Parker Sprang a Surprise and Mitigated Labour’s Disappointment. (Special to the “Star.”) SYDNEY, December 14. Last Saturday afternoon, as the result of one of the most sensational civic elections ever recorded in the annals of the city, Alderman A. L. Parker was elevated to the Mayoral chair. To understand the interest that this election aroused, the long agitation that preceded it, and the excitement produced by the result, it is necessary to remember that for some years past the City Council has been divided into two sections.

'J'HESE SECTIONS are the Labour aldermen, among whom “ Jock ” Garden holds the foremost place, and the Reform aldermen—members of the Civic Reform Association, which was originally organised to rescue the city from the chaos and corruption attributed by the reformers to the malign activities of the Trades Hall, and to prevent the Lord Mayor’s office from falling into Labour’s hands. There are six Labour votes, and they could always be depended on as a “ bloc ” vote. There were originally nine Reformers, but two of these, Alderman M’Elhone and Alderman Parker, were doubtful—M’Elhone because he has always had some affinity for Labour, and Parker because he had recently resigned his position as secretary of the Reform Party and given signs of desiring to cultivate his own personal ambitions. There were thus only seven Reform votes that could be depended upon to support a Reform candidate, and these might be faced by an opposition of eight—if “ Jock ” Garden could induce both M’Elhone and Parker to vote against Reform. All Candidates. The prospects of any given individual Reform alderman were therefore dubious at best, and, unfortunately, it happened that practically every member of the Reform group believed that he ought to be Lord Mayor and hoped that he might have a chance. The reason for the specially keen competition for the Mayoralty of 1934 is that a member of the Royal Family will probably visit Melbourne for the centenary, that the visit will then be extended to Sydney, and that the Lord Mayor fortunate enough to entertain so distinguished a guest is almost certain of a knighthood. This at least is the reason advanced by cynics for the agitation that so long pervaded Reform circles, the ceaseless intrigues, the persistent canvassing, and their final failure to secure agreement on any practicable scheme up to the very day of the election. It should be explained also that in regard to the Mayoral chair, all members of the Civic Reform Association who are aldermen are pledged to meet in their party room before the election, and then and there to decide their joint policy. This is the only matter on which such a pledge has been exacted, but on this point—according to the “ Sydney Morning Herald ” —“ the pledge is definite and distinct.” During the last few weeks the Reformers had discussed many a possibility—a new term for Lord Mayor Hagon. a second term for Sir Samuel Walder, or the election of a new man— M’Mahon Parkes Tresidder. But while they were dubious about Parker, and more than dubious about M’Elhone, they did not believe that Parker would venture to cut himself adrift from his old associates, and announce his own candidature, depending upon the votes of the Labour aldermen for success. Yet this was precisely what happened. How Surprise was Sprung. At the final meeting of the Reformers on Friday evening no definite conclusion seems € ® ® S 3 ® IS K @ S @ ® ® 83 i? 9 @ ® @ IS i

to have been reached; and Parker was not there. But on Saturday he was in his place, and he took the wind out of their sails by declaring that he would stand for the seat. Then, too late, they tried to readjust their tactics. But after every candidate agreeable to the Reformers had been put up and defeated—Labour voting “ solid ” against them—and “ Jock ’’ Garden had been beaten by nine votes to six, the Labour men “ swung in ” behind the only Reformer who might be useful to them, and Alderman Parker—rather to his own astonishment, to the furious indignation of the Reformers, and the unconcealed joy of the Labour aldermen—found himself elected Lord Mayor of Sydney. The Reformers were far too angry to be polite—Lord Mayor ilagon, after announcing the result of the poll, abruptly closed the meeting—he said afterwards thpt he was “ afraid of trouble.” There were no congratulatory speeches, and only the Labour aldermen stayed to listen to what the new Lord Mayor had to say. To do Mr Parker justice, he show r ed considerable courage and self-possession, and after making a neat little speech, left the chamber with his new-found friends and allies. Labour’s Motives. The Labour aldermen gave their votes to Mr Parker for two reasons—because they wanted to embarrass the Reformers, and because they believed that by putting Mr Parker under an obligation to them they might to some extent make him their tool. But no one who knows Mr Parker seems to anticipate any trouble in this direction. There is no doubt about his experience or his ability. A successful lawyer, wealthy and cultured, attracted by art and literature, an authority on banking and finance, he has many high qualifications for this exalted post. It may be said also that the new Lord Mayor is quite confident about himself, and he has already put forward a programme, which embodies many important projects. But he starts his career under a heavy handicap—the displeasure of the Civic Reform Association. Already that august body has held a meeting, under the presidency of Sir Arthur Cocks, to consider the conduct of the Lord Mayor, and it has announced that Mr Parker and Mr M’Elhone, because of their actions during the Mayoral election, are no longer to be considered as members of the association. This is not quite equivalent to ex-communica-tion with “ bell book and candle ”; but it is logical and constitutional enough. Still, the Lord Mayor may survive this shock, and may ultimately win his way to mutual confidence and reconciliation. On the other hand, there is no doubt that the prolonged intrigues which marked the preliminary campaign and the complications that have ensued—to say nothing of the unexpected result—have persuaded most thoughtful people that election by the ratepayers might be the better alternative, and it is quite conceivable that Mr Parker may be the last alderman raised to the Mayoral chair in Sydney by the votes of his colleagues.