Mr C. S. Armstrong Heads Borough Council Election

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 100, 21 November 1947, Page 5

Mr C. S. Armstrong Heads Borough Council Election

After Wednesday’s poll, the Whakatane Borough Council now comprises the Mayor, Mr - B. S. Barry and Crs. C. S. Armstrong, R. S. Buttimore, J. Creeke, E, R. Dillicar, R. T. Morpeth, K. A. Needham, A. D. O’Rourke, W. Sullivan and H. G. Warren. Both the sitting Borough representatives on the Hospital Board, Messrs. L. Buddie and C. A. Suckling, were re-elected.

Only a little over 50 per cent of those qualified exercised the vote in the Borough election. Mr C. S. Armstrong, with a record of 12% years’ service on the Council topped the poll with 725 votes, followed by Mr H. G. Warren, a sitting Councillor with only one previous term to his credit, who polled 648. Messrs. R. T. Morpeth (617) and W. Sullivan, M.P. (608) filled third and fourth places. The other sitting Councillor reelected was Mr J. Creeke, who occupied sixth place in the order of preference with 471 votes, 88 behind Mr E. R. Dillicar, elected for the first time. Messrs. A. D. O’Rourke (451), R. S. Buttimore (441) and K. A. Needham (390) took the remaining three seats in that order. With 39 votes by declaration to come, and the final check-up to .be completed on Wednesday night, only six votes separated Messrs. Needham and Magnus Lennie for last place on the Council, and Mr Needham finally nosed home on the count back, just five votes ahead. Figures polled by the other defeated candidates, and the public’s order of preference, were: Messrs. C. L. Jordan, 307; E. R. Hunt, 300; W. H. Whittaker, 269; L. R. Spring, 256; F. G. M. Sutcliffe, 206; D. G. Beattie, 198; R. Riddell, 185; A. J. Atkinson, 135;. T. M. Whyte, 123; F. M. Abbott, 119 and T. Latham, 110. Called upon to address the group that waited around the Council .Chambers on Wednesday night to see the results announced, Mr Armstrong said he felt sure that the Borough had elected a Council that would carry out its task with determination and vigour. He paid brief tribute to the work done by the three Councillors who had retired, Messrs. S. S: Shapley, A. J. Canning and J. Warner, also that of Mr L. R. Spring, who had not been returned to office.' Messrs. Warren, Morpeth, Dillicar, O’Rourke, Buttimore, Needham, Lennie, Whittaker, Sutcliffe and Riddell also spoke briefly. Hospital Election Figures in the election for two Borough representatives on the Hospital Board were:— Mr L. Buddie 673, Mr C. A. Suckling 582 (sitting members re-elect-ed), D. G. Beattie 267 and L. C. Richards 226.