CITY COUNCIL SEAT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 7, 9 January 1946, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL SEAT

EXTRAORDINARY VACANCY NOMINATIONS BEING CALLED An extraorinary vacancy has been created on the Wanganui City Council by the death of lhe Deputy-Mayor, Cr. T. S. Russell. Under the Municipal Corporations Act a by-election must be held if more than one nomination is received for the vacancy. The town clerk, Mr. C. Ft. White, acting in his capacity as returning oiiicer, said last night that the date lixed for the closing of nominations was oefore noon on Monday, January 21. If a by-election is nece-sary it will be held on Saturday, Fcbruaiy 2. Under ihe Municipal Corporations Act, reverted to when the Local Elections and Polls Emergency Regulations, 1942, were revoked recently, the returning officer must fix a date for a by-election not less than 25 days and not more than 28 clear days from the extraordinary vacancy eccuring.

In the event of an extraordinary vacancy occuring within 12 months of the triennial municipal elections, however, the council may appoint a successor, or decide to hold a by-election. If the vacancy occurs within six months of the elections, the council may leave it open if a resolution to this effect is carried.

The nios recent municipal elections, however, were held in May, 1944, and the next elections will not be held till May, 1947. 'Rhe returning otticer is obliged, therefore, to call for nomination, and hold a by-election if more than one name is put forward. During the war yeais two extraoidinary vacancies occurred on the Wanganui City Council, but they were governed by the Local Elections and Polls Emergency Regulations, 1942.

These regulations stipulated that with -he exception of the Mayoralty, the local body conerned should forthwith appoint some qualified person. If no appointment was made within two months the Governor-General was empowered to make the appointmen .

The fust extraordinary vacancy affected bv these regulations occurred on the Wanganui City Council after the 1941 elections, when Mr. B. M.

Silk resigned because of his military duties. His successor, appointed by the council, was Cr. T. N. Dickson.

A further extraordinary vacancy occurred in November, 1944, six months after the municipal elections. It was created by the sudden death of Cr. G. E. Bennett, and at a meeting held on December 12, Cr. C. S. Smith was appointed by the council to fill the vacancy.

Since then, however, the regulations have been revoked and the Municipal Corporations Act has been reverted