INFUSION OF YOUNG BLOOD

Chronicle (Levin), 30 October 1947, Page 4

INFUSION OF YOUNG BLOOD

NEW MEMBERS OF LEVIN BOROUGH COUNCIL The fact that only nine nominabions were received for the Levin Borough Council and an election would not therefore be necessary eame as a surprise, Up to the time nominations closed yesterday it was jonfidently expected .that there would be an excess of candidates, ^hereas a few seconds before closing time the number was actually jne short of that required. To many the absence of an excess of candidates will be taken as indicative of a disappointing lack of interest in eivic alfairs. It is to be hoped that keen interest will be fcaken in the mayoralty contest, where there is to -be an election, a,nd that the poll will be a representative one. One .source of general satisfacfcion will be the infusion of fresh and younger blood into the council's activities — f our of the five ^new members are under 50 years of age. They are Messrs. A. J. H. Allen, J. Miller, D. J. Sweetzer and R. A. Frederikson. The other new member is Mr. c. H. Nelson, who should also prove a useful addition-. With the experience of the four members of the last council who have been returned for a further term, Messrs. F. D. Chainey, C„ Sherwood, D. J. Gardiner and W. T.elford, the borough will have a well balanced administration. Mr. F. E. Parker has retired with the very fine record of 30i years unbroken service and a further thr.ee years prior to that, Miss H. E. Bowen, who has served for 12J years, did not seek re-election, nor did Mr. A. O. Powell, a member for seven years. The other two retiring councillors, Messrs. C. H. Cockrell and V. E. Hudson, had served for three years and 18 months respectively. Brief Biographies Below are given brief biographies of the new members of the council. Donald James Sweetzer: Has been a resident of Levin for two years, 'and is president of the Levin Junior Chamber of Commerce and a director of the Levin Rotary Club. He served overseas with the first echelon of the Second N.Z.E.F. Alfred John Hesketh Allen: Was brought up in Levin, attending the Levin District High School. He served with the New Zealand Division in the Pacific for two years. He is an executive member of the Levin R.S.A. and secretary of the Levin Poultry-keepers' Association. Charles Henry Nelson: Has resided in Levin for the past eight years, and was for 24 years on the staff of the New Zealand Railways. He has served in various school committees in Wanganui, and is on the Levin Municipal Band citizens' ■committee. He is in business of his own account in Levin.. James Miller: Came to Levin last year. He is a member of the Levin Junior Chamber of Commerce board, and has been in business on his own account for seven years. He was turned down for overseas service on medical grounds, but served for some time on home service. While in Levin he has been. connected with youth work in the Methodist Church. Reuben Arthur Frederikson : Came to Levin in 1933 as accountant to the Horowhenua Electric Power Board. In 1939 he succeeded the late Mr. F. G. Ramsay as secretary of the board, and was appointed managing-secretary in 1944. He is an associate member of the New Zealand Society of Accountants. He is a foundation board member of the Levin Junior Chamber of Commerce, president of the Levin Golf Club, secretary of the Levin Municipal Band citizens' committee since it was reformed and a member of the Boy Scouts' Committee. During the war he was actively engaged in patriotic work, being secretary- of the local patriotic committee. Of those renominated, Mr. O. Sherwood joined the council in May, 1914. He is entering his third term. Messrs. Chainey, Gardiner and Telford joined the council in 1944. Mr. F. E. Parker's Fine Record The senior member of the past council, Mr. F. E. Parker, joined the council in November, 1911. He was defeated at the May elections in 1913, but was returned in July of the same year at a by-election. He continued in office till May, 1915. In 1917 he was again elected and has remained in office ever since, an unbroken period of 30 years six months. His total service is 33 years 10 months. He has been chairman of the gasworks committee since 1929, having been on the committee for some, years prior to that. He has also been the council's representative on the Levin Fire Board since its inception, and 3hairman for many years. During his term in office Mr. Parker has been for many years on the finance committee of the council and also the town planning committee. His work as chairman of the Playford Park special committee was subject to considerable -praise from the Mayor and councillors at the last meeting of the council. Miss H. E. Bowen's Service Another retiring memoer who has been a valuable asset to the council for many years is Miss H, E. Bowen, who has served for 12 and a-half years. She has been chairman of the library committee, and has taken an active interest in patriotic work and the activities cf the women's organisaticus of the town. — — i