SIR HERBERT HART

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 April 1944, Page 2

SIR HERBERT HART

STANDING AGAINST ALL COMERS DECISION OF LAST NIGHT’SI MEETING. COMMITTEES TO SUPPORT CANDIDATURE. A decision to support the candidature of Sir Herbert Hart for the Masterton mayoralty against all comers was made unanimously at an enthusiastic meeting of supporters, held in the Masterton A. and P. Rooms last night. A men’s and a ladies’ committee were formed to further Sir Herbert Hart's candidature. There, was an attendance of over a hundred.

Mr H. P. Hugo, who presided, said it was very gratifying to find such a large attendance. He said that at the time Sir Herbert Hart was first approached to stand for the mayoralty it was not known that there was any other candidate. As Administrator of Western Samoa and later as Commissioner of the War Graves in the Middle East, Mr Hugo went on to observe, Sir Herbert had proved his ability and had served both New Zealand and Masterton. He had throughout that time been a ratepayer of Masterton and had kept in touch with its affairs. The purpose of the meeting that night was to ascertain how much support was forthcoming for Sir Herbert Hart. Sir Herbert Hart said that when he returned to Masterton he had intended to retire and it was not his seeking that he should contest the mayoralty. He had made it clear to the committee which had approached him that the onus of electing him rested on it. He referred to the experience he had gained, in administration and in finance as Administrator of Western Samoa and similarly in the Middle East. It was his job, he said, to see that the expenditure was kept within the budget. His experience in those positions would, be thought, be of value here. Everything was governed by the money available and the money available had to be spent economically and not wastefully. It had been said that he had no previous experience in council affairs. The same could have been said of him before he went to Western Samoan and to the Middle East.

Stating that he had been born in Carterton, the son of a dairy farmer, and had spent most of his life in the district and in Masterton, Sir Herbert paid a tribute to the administration of Masterton by the retiring Mayor, Mr T. Jordan. If elected, Sir Herbert said, he would try to see that the town did not suffer by the change and try to maintain the same standard. He had no politics and his main object would be to look after the interests of the municipality and the welfare of the people. Whether the shop owner or shop worker, the factory employer or factory employee, the casual or the unskilled labourer, everyone would get the same consideration, regardless of politics or anything else. Pie said it would be a great pity if there were a triangular. election. The committee which had asked him to stand had taken steps to try to overcome that difficulty. He left the matter in their hands. He was there to do whatever they told him to do and would be happy whether they told him to stand or not.

Sir Herbert and Lady Hart then left the meeting. On the motion of Mr A. Keir, the following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this public meeting of the citizens of Masterton express entire confidence in Sir Herbert Hart and all present promise the fullest support of his candidature for the mayoralty.”

Mr Hugo said Mr Kemp had agreed to a suggestion that the matter should be submitted to a committee with an independent chairman, but had later advised that his committee did not support that step. Mr Hugo said he saw no way of overcoming the difficulty of a three-cornered contest. He and the committee had no desire to ask Sir Herbert Hart to stand down. They had a man of ability, with the time to devote to the position. After a brief discussion, it was decided to take an expression of opinion from the meeting as to whether, as Mr J. H. Cunningham put it, they should go “bald headed” for Sir Herbert Hart, regardless of all comers. A show of hands, which appeared to be unanimous, endorsed 1 this view.

The following were appointed a men’s committee to further the candidature of Sir Herbert Hart: Messrs E. J. Heffer, R. Page, D. E. Lyttle, J. H. Cunningham, E. M. Hodder, H P. Hugo, C. E. Grey, A. Keir, G. Hayne, B. Clayson and V. E. Donald. All the ladies present agreed to form a ladies’ committee to assist Sir Herbert Hart’s candidature, Mcsdames E. J. Heffer and L. Hunter to be the convenors.