MUNICIPAL PROSPECTS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 78, 10 September 1947, Page 5

MUNICIPAL PROSPECTS

four councillors to retire Cr. h. g. warren for mayor Although there will be still two further meetings before the present members of the Whakatane Borough Council complete their term of office, it was deemed a fit occasion last Monday to indicate to the public which of the members would be seeking re-election and who would be retiring. The upshot was that the Mayor, Mr B. S. Barry, again reiterated his decision not to seek re-election either as Mayor or Councillor, and In this he was followed by Crs Canning, Shapley and Armstrong who were of a like mind. Cr Warren on the other hand intimated that he had been approached, and if His Worship was not going to stand again, he would be prepared to contest the Mayoralty.

It was intimated also that Cr Sullivan had conveyed his intention of not standing for the council again, while Cr Creeke stated that as yet he was uncertain. The position presenting itself was briefly that of the present nine Councillors and Mayor, there will be five not standing; one uncertain, and possibly four standing (Crs Warren, Morpeth, Warner and Spring). ' Cr Spring who was not present at the meeting has given no indication of his intentions.

Cr Canning appealed unsuccessfully to the Mayor, to reconsider his decision but without success, His Worship declaring that he had given the matter full thought, though he hoped to see a seasoning of the old Councillors still ' Standing.

Cr Warren declared that he would be very happy to sit under the present Mayor for another term, but if he was definite in not standing, he (Cr Warren) was glad to announce that he would be a candidate for the Mayoralty and hoped to see a contest.

Cr Warner had fixed views regarding the claims of the younger generation and declared that he did not like seeing other men hanging on continuously. Room should be made for younger councillors. This brought Cr Canning to his feet declaring that it was very necessary to' have the experience of the older heads to guide the younger men. Younger men were wanted but it was necessary also to have a leavening of older hands. Intimating that they did not intend standing again Crs Shapley and .Armstrong paid a warm tribute to the manner in which the Mayor had controlled meetings and initiated a progressive policy. The Mayor again expressed deep regret that there appeared to be so many who did not intend standing again. He pointed out that Whakatane was a difficult Borough to administrate, and was faced with many problems. It was necessary to have a strong Council and he trusted that some at least would be prevailed on to change their minds before the elections.