THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1112, 27 April 1911, Page 6

THE MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Yesterday's poll was a notable one. ' Since- the last municipal election b.eld in ■ .Wellington, Parliament has seen fit to extend the franchise to such an extent that it is now practically as broad as i that appertaining to a Parliamentary election. Further alterations of a drastic nature have been made in the Electoral ' Act, which makes it compulsory for several issues to I>B placed before the electors on the one. diy.instead of scattering them through the year. For instance, the Harbour Board, having had its franchise extended to permit of a larger number or its members being chosen by the district electors (another innovation), is reconsti- . tufced on the same day as that, on which 1 the Mayor and city councillors are elect--1 ed, and to add to the duties of electors •i a section of the community agitated sUci cessfully for a referendum on the halt- '' holiday' question, and this, too, was sub ■ 'mitted- to citizens yesterday. Ihe final .'results were not ready, until an early i hour this morning. The poll was _simpliffied by there being no contest for the [ Mayoralty. There was • a healthy life i about the. contest for-tho council whic.i I resulted in most of the old members retaining their seats. Polling was fairl/ 6t'eady .throughout the day, with-a good rush at the lunch hour and after. 5 p.m. at: the mid-city-booths. ■ Nothing sensa- . tional wa's stirring in the suburbs. Messrs. H. W. -Sbortt and J. Brodie, retain the Mayoral chairs-at Eastbourne and Miramar respectively; Mr. Bunny is still Mayor of Lower Hutt; but in Onslow Mr. Frank- Holdsworth replaces Mr. J. It. Harkness (now in England) as Mayor. ■ Most of the candidates for municipal -honours were, in evideuco at. the booths throughout the day, wealing the sunniest of smiles, and chatting agreeably to, all, and sundry. Many of them had friends and adherents at the booth doors, armed with bulky rolls, which' they used with ' admirable discrimination by Rising 1 the •elector his number, and insidiously reminding him not to forget Mr. wo-and-bo. In this pleasant • vote-winning task tney materially assisted .by the wives daughters, cousins, and aunts of the candidates; who advocated the claims of their men-folk—imploring, and cajoling ■ with charming insistence, and not without et-1 feet. Cabs and motor-cars were made available to electors in sorno quarters, but there was less of that sort of thing than is usual at an election, and as a r ulo the elector had to "pad the hoof to the nearest .booth to record his vote. It was anticipated that there would be a deal of confusion on the, part of el.ee- - tors owing, to • the innovation which dccrees that the City Council and Harbour Board election and the half-holiday refe.ren- : dum shall be.taken.on the one day, but from I inquiries made the. balloting went, on very 6moothly throughout the day, and the calls for an understanding mere compara- . trvely few. It was thought by many that separate boxes .for. the different coloured ■ Toting papers would have been <an advantage in that it would save time in sorting after the close of the poll, but. it was' maintained that an array of boxes would tend to confuse .the nervous to such an extent that the papers would become mixed in any case, so, perhaps, the single box had its advantages. • Polling ended at seven o'clock. A small half-holiday' return was sent in to tho Returning Officer (Mr. James Anies) twelve minutes' later, but an hour elapsed before the first return of polling for councillors arrived. It came at three minutes past- eight from Eoseneath, where 990 votes were recorded in the municipal contest. The votes were well distributed, Messrs. R. Fletcher and A. H. Hindmarsh headed the. list -with 55. votes apiece. Mr. D. M'Laren took next place ■with sft votes, and Mr. W. H. P. Barber followed with 49. Mr. C. Thorpe was at the bottom of the list with two votes. The Harbour Board returns from Eoseneath arrived a few minutes later, and showed Mr. E.'> Fletcher at tho head of the list with 63 votes.

' From nine o'clock returns came pouriijg in without cessation until a rjuartorpast" eleven, but progress then became much slower. Owing to the lateness of the hour before it was poiisible to say who was elected, the customary, speeches by candidates were not given. Following are the results of the City Ctuncil election.— R. Fletchcr 10,904 W. H. P. Barbor 9,397 .. A. H. Hindmarsh 8,032 J. E. Fitzgerald 7,995 D. M'Laren 7,793 F, Cohen 7,680 G.-W. Shirtcliffe 7,291 A. R. Atkinson 7,262 J, Smith 7,066 J. Fuller 6,951 J. Godber . 6,378 J, .Trevor 6,301 L. M'Kenzie 6,247 G. Frost ..., 6,194 R, W. Cameron 6,112 AV. H. Bennett ; 5,483 \V. F. Thompson 5,346 M. J. Reardou 4,985 'E. J. Carey 4,939 T. Smith : 4,832 A. L. Hunt 4,766 J. Castle 4,43-1 AV. J. Jordan 4,238 S. J. lloran 4,085 G. F. Reyling 3,968 I. Hazell 3,908 J. Mundel 3,825 W. S. Bedford 2,800 E. T. Gallichan 2,683 .T. E. Jenkinson 2,385 C. M'lntyre . 2,228 A. H. Fullford 1,804 V. Jensen 1,804 A. R. Hornblow 1,637 - H. Bodley 1,482 C. Thorpe 995, The final result was delayed until 2.40 B.m. THE NEW COUNCIL', MR. J. E. FITZGERALD. J. pi. Fitzgerald was bom at Kaiwarra in 1881. Before being elected a member of the Wellington Council in 1909, ho was for two years a member of the Onslow Borough Council. He has alwajs taken a keen interest in local , and national politics, and is' at present a member ,of Hospital and Charitable Aid Board.

THE POLLING. COUNCIL AND HARBOUR BOARD. NO NEW LABOUR COUNCILLORS. WEDNESDAY HALF-HOLIDAY. • . . THE NEW OiTY COUNCIL. MR. T. M. WILFORD, MAYOR. R. FLETCHER.. A. R. ATKINSONi W. H. P. BARBER. J.SMITH. A. H. HINDMARSH, J. FULLER. 'J. E. FITZGERALD. J. GODBER. D. M'LAREN. . J. TREVOR. F. COHEN., L. M'KENZIE. ~G. W. SHIRTCLIFFE. R. W. CAMERON. G.FROST, V. . . • THE-NEW. HARBOUR BOARD. R. FLETCHER. M. COHEN. A. H. HINDMARSH. ' J. G. COBBE, J. E. FITZGERALD. C. E. DANIELL, J. TREVOR. A. M'FARLANE."J. W. M'EWAN. J' G- HARKNESS.. P. C. FREETH. C. W. JONES. R. C. RENNER.

" "ME. D. M'LAEEN. D. M'Laren, M.l\, was first elected to the City Council in 1901, and has been associated with the management of the city's affairs ever since. Ho was born at Paisley, Scotland, in 1868, and came out to New Zealand when 11 jrears of age. He is advising secretary of the Wharf Labourers' Union, and organiser of the waterside workers. ME. JAMES TREVOR. Jas. Trevor, contractor, a native of Yorkshire, commenced his career as a city. councillor in 1905, and during his various terms has served on practically every committee of tho council, as well as on the Hospital Board, and on other bodies on which the council is represented. MR. GEOEGE FROST. Geo. Frost, a retired builder, was born in Eangiora 49 years ago, and has been resident in Wellington for the past 26 years. During the six year 9he has been on the council, he has done excellent work. Before Melrose was amalgamated with the city, he was a councillor of that borough, and was Mayor for yearly three years. MR..A. E. ATKINSON. A.; R, Atkinson is. a, native of New Plymouth,"and was born in 1863. He was educated at Nelson Collego and Clifton College, England. He was called to the Bar in 1887, in which year he returned to New Zealand. Mr. Atkinson com- [ menced practice in Wellington in 1892. He has taken an active part in the NoLicense movement, and w'as M.P. for Wellington from 1899 to 1902. MR. A. H. HINDMARSH.

A. H.- Hindmarsh, solicitor, was born in South Australia, and has been a membeir of the council for six years. He came to New Zealand when he was 18 years of age, and has been resident in Wellington for sixteen years. At the present time, Mr. Hindmarsh is a member of the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board and of the executive of the Municipal Association of New Zealand. v MR. FOLK COHfe. I Folk. Cohen, draper, who has resided in Wellington since 1865, has been a member of the council since 1901, and served on the Hospital Board for five years, as well as holding other public positions. He was a'member of the old volunteer Fire Brigade, and has been one of. the foremost members of the City Fire Police ever since the corps was formed. ME. JOHN SMITH. John Smith has probably sat under more Mayors than any member of the council, and is practically the Father of the Council. He was first elected in 1885, when the late Mr. Geo. Fisher was Mayor. He has represented the council on the Hospital Board, Benevolent Trust, and in numerous, other positions. ME, GEOEGE SHIRTCLIFFE. G. W. Shirtcliffo was born in England in 1862, and arrived in. New Zealand in 1864. He was educated at Christ's College Grammar School, and came to Wellington in 1900. He is resident partner here in the firm of A. S. Paterson and Co., merchants. His service on local bodies iiioludes the Harbour Board, and the Chaiiiber of Commerce. MR. ROBERT FLETCHER. B.' Fletcher was born at St. Andrews, Scotland, in 186.1, and lias educated at Madras College, in his native town. After working in the service of the Midland Railway Company for a time, he went to sea in the Dundee Line of sailing ships. In 1883 he came to Now Zealand, and entered the employment of the Wellington Harbour Board. He joined Mes<?r's. Joseph Nathan and Co. in 1890, and in IS9B started business on his own account as a Shipping and 'forwarding agent. Mr. Fletcher was electcd to the council in 1907. He was elected a member of the Harbour Board in 1006, and has been chairman of the board since 1910.

ME. LEONARD M'KENZIE. Leonard M'Kenzie, chemist, is a native of . Wellington, and. a son of the late I Mr. Thos. M'Kenzie, "Father of Wellington." He was educated at Te Aro School and at Wellington College, and until recently was a member of his old school committee. He is president of the' Chemists' Association, secretary, and treasurer, of the Wellington Pharmaceutical Association, and a member of the Pharmacy Board. ME. W. H. P. BAH BEE. W. H. P . Barber is hest known as proprietor of Barber's Dye Works, Cuba Street, ex-member of Parliament, and a member of the City Council from 1891 to 1905. He contested the Mayoralty in' 1905, but was defeated. He was rc-elccted to a seat on the council last year. Mr. Barber is chairman of direc- 1 tors of the Wellington Woollen Company, a director of the Opera. House for many years, and is interested in a number of other local companies. DR. E. A. CAMERON. Dr. Eobt. A. Cameron' was born in the AVairarapa, and comes of a family which has served Wellington on the City Council for many years. Ho was educated at AVellington College, and went to England to study medicine. After taking his degree at Home he returned to Now Zealand, and is now in practice at Newtown. MR. JAMES GODBEE. James Godber, pastrycook and confectioner, has long standing as a business man and councillor in AVellington. From 3901 to 1909 ho sat at tho council table, and at various times he has held office in numerous public bodies. ME. JOHN FULLER, JUNE. John Fuller, junr., a member of the theatrical firm of- John Fuller and Sons, is with his brother managing the firm's AVellington businesses. • He has been a resident of New Zealand for the past eighteen years, and was educated in Auckland-

RESULTS OF LAST ELECTION. Luke, J. P 807t ]kllinger, T 7218 1 1 1 etcher, E 715(i M'Laren, I) 1)77(1 Atkinson, A. R 6533 ■ShirtclilVe, G 11420 Cohen, r 034(1 Smith, J Ml Jlorrah, W. H U331) Carmichael, T HOfcJ Devine, J. J. 57!)!! Ilindmarsh, A. H 5337 Trevor, J. 5157 Fitzgerald, J. K 5154 Frost, G. 4521 Dykes, 3909; Seaton, 3013; llnine, 3807; L: M'Kenzie, 381)1; Bennett, 3871 i; Fullford, 3198; Casey, 30117; Chapman, 2660; Hi'ggiubottoni, 2505; Cooper, 2118; Hamilton,' 2139; Aston, 2422; Reunion, 21li0; R. M'Kenzie, 2110; Carey, 2102; Noot, 1924; Monaghan, 1482; Jensen, 1298. HALF-HOLIDAY. The result of the half-holiday poll is that: Wednesday remains the statutory closing day. Monday 24 Tuesday 1" Wednesday 9,65S Thursday 24 Friday 14 Saturday 7.94S ■Tohnsonville, Miramar, and Reehabiie Hall returns are to come, but, cannot alter the result.

THE MAYOR 01? WELLINGTON. Mr.' T. M. Wilford, M.P., who is re-, elected to the position of Mayor of the city without opposition, is a son of tho late Dr. J. G. l'\ Wilford, of the Lower Hutt, and was born in Wellington ill 1870. He was educated at Wellington College, and was admitted to the Bar in 1891. Mr. Wilford is the sitting member of Parliament for the Hutt electorate. For . two years in succession, 1908. and 1909,. he was the chairman nf the Harbour Board, of which body ho is still, a member.

SUBURBAN BOROUGHS.

NEW MAYOR FOR ONSLOW. ■ ME, BUNNY EE-ELECTED AT HUTT. Below are the results of the elections of Mayors and, councillors in the suburban boroughs adjacent to Wellington. The names of preseht'3[ayors arid sitting councillors are marked with asterisks (*). ' PETONE. Four members of the old council have been re-elected at. Petone, and two defeated. There are now five new men on the council. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan was reelected unopposed as Mayor. COUNCIL. *.T. Piper 81.1 *J. W. List 79D *11, W. Short 709 C. P. Brocklebank 763 W. Cox >6 W. G. Lodder 696 S. V. Burridge 6G5 *W. Truman ■ 634 J. Wakeham 615 Not elected—A. Coles, Gil; S. Curtis, 516; *E. H. Jones, 627; *11. G. Young, ■lot. All the newly-elected councillors addressed the electors to return thanks.-Mr,. Piper,, who headed (he poll, received a great ovation.

MATOE OF PETOXE. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan. who has been raturned unopposed as Mayor of Petone, ia holding the office for tho fourth consecutive term. Mr. 'M'Ewan was born in the Auckland district in JSoS, and has served on the Petone Council for six years from 1900-3, and from 1901-7. He was first, elected to the Mayoral chair in 1907. Besides his Mayoral duties, ho is a member of several local bodies, including the Harbour Board, for which he has just been re-elected as representative of the suburban district. LOWER HUTT. Polling went on briskly at Lower Hntt all day. Motor-cars and other vehicles were in frequent use. Tho clock had scarcely struck the closing hour, when heavy rain began to fall, but, notwithstanding the inclemency of the night, many attended at the chief booth when the results were about due. The Mayoral election was known first, and in this eontest Mr. E. P. Bunny was returned, with a majority of 171 votes over Councillor Baldwin. Mr. AVilloughby Knight headed the poll in the council election. Tho details are as follow;— MAYOR. *E. P. Bunny 81G H. Baldwin G-15 Majority 171 Informal, 18. COUNCIL. W. Knight 979 *J. T. Hawthorn SBI *11. E. Ivempthorno S'i7 J. AV. Stevenson 525 A. J. Hobbs SOt P. Clendon 790 A. E. Roots 717 J. Ball 1.. 682 -11, J, Hodcins ... 6SO

Not elected.—C. M. rainier, 575; AY. G, Meldruin, 563; F. Grcig, 127. Informal.

I 'I'HE MAYOE OP LOWER HUTT. Mr. E. P. Bunny, who is again returned .is Mayor of tho" Lower Hutt, is the senior partner in the legal firm of Messrs. Bunny, Fetherick, and Ayson. At the last election, Mr. Bunny defeated Messrs. J. T. Russell and W. H. Hawthorn. Some 'years previously, when the Hutt borough was in an early stage of development, air. Bunny occupied tho Mayoral chair, but relinquished the office owing to pressure of his private business. It is only within the past three years that he again took an.active public interest in tho affairs of the borough. MIRAMAR. The Miramar elections caused exceptional interest in the suburb this year, and the contest, especially for the mayoral chair, was keenly fought. The polling was heavy. The results were declared last evening shortly before ten o'clock, as follow;— MAYOE. Mira- Worser Citv. mar. Bav. Tl. *J. Brodie 250 339 12S 517 V. R. S. Meredith 211 G9 51 331 COUNCIL. "H. E. Richards... 291 103 IS7 531 W. 7>lford 253 167 113 533 *N. W. Bell 315 93 115 523 S. Jl. Stone 222 11G 111 182 *C. 'B. Bowie 283 81 1(11 ICS P. Lauronson 260 75 GO 395 f Not elected.—A. Grigs, 336; A. H. GrifI fiths, 299; S. H. Underwood, 265; M. Muir, 251.

FIRST - CITIZEN OF MIRAMAR. Mr. John Brodie, who lias, just completed ouo term in the Slayoral chair of Sliramar, and is re-elected for another term, is a partner in the firm of Brodie and Walker, indent agents. Previous to heing elected to the Mayoralty- in ' 1910, Sir. ,Brodie had Served on the Sliramar Borough Council for six years. KARORI. There ivas no election at' Karori in'tlio case of either mayor or councillors, as the number of candidates nominated just sufficed to fill the vacant offices.

KARORI'S NEW MAYOR. Mr. Charles Cathie, who is successor to Mr. C. I. Dasent as Mayor of Karori, was elected without, opposition. Mr. Cathie is the head of the largo clothing firm hearing his name, and has been a resident of Karori for the past eighteen, years, having previously resided in Wcl-' lington East. In all, he served as a councillor of the borough for five years. Mr. Cathie was born in Edinburgh," Scotland, in 1819. ONSLOW. The result of the polling for the Mayoral election in the borough of Onslow caino as a surprise to many, for Mr. Prank Holdsworth defeated his absent opponent, Mr. J. Ci. Harkness—who is at present abroad—by 523 votes to 181. Details of the polling at the several booths arc as follow:— Holdsworth Harkness Central (City) 151: G5 Khandallah 67 J1 Ngaio 109 31 Jvaiwarra (Terreni's) 3t 3 Kaiwarja Township . IG4 ;ii) Total 52S ISI Majority, 317. COUNCIL. Ngaio Ward. *B. Lynneberg Ifi2 •Ci. W. Darvail 12(i 'C. Aplin, Junr 120 Not elected—L. J?. Leonard, 93; If, Bardiley, C 7. Ivaiwarra Ward. .T. C. Gardiner M.'i K. \Y. Dingive M:i "\V. JI. TJotvdeu 11l Not elected—T Kiernau, 101; I', Cavanagh, 53,"

Khandalhih Ward. Owing to the absence of nominal ions for the'Khaiidallah Ward of the borough, an "extraordinary vacancy" has occurred, a spccial election on May U next. Nominations close at noon on May 4. Thoi'e are three scats to be filled

MAYOR-ELECT OF ONSLOW. Mr. F. Holdv.vuvlli, barrator and solicitor, who lii-.s been elected Mayor of Onslow, is a son of the late Mr. <1. G ; Holdsworth, at one time the Commissioner of Crown Lands in Wellington. He was born in 1871. and educated at the_ Terrace School, Wellington College, and anganui Collegiate School. He was admitted as a solicitor in lfc'Su. For. some years Mr. Holdsworlh was a well-known cricketer, and represented the province on several occasions. Mr. Ilohlsworth has had a previous excursion into local polities, being elccted to a seat on the Onslow Borough Council in 1005. lie did not seek re-election in 1907. As to his general policy, which is one of economy, Mr- Holdsworth is in favour of gas being brought into (lie borough on the terms proposed by the Wellington Gas Comi».ny and lately agreed upon by the Onslow Borough Council; of a renewal of the contract with tho Wellington City Council tor the supply of electric light and energy to the borough on terms either similar to those that now exist, or on more favourable lerms if lliey can be obtained; of a water supply for the district from the catchment area already owned by the borough. He- is not in favour of a drainage scheme for the borough, as ho considers that the time is not yet ripe for such an undertaking; neither is ho in favour of the borough paying a large amount of its share for tho construction of the new Hutt Road—in any case, only a proportion of the amount originally estimated bv the Government for its construction should be pavsWe by the borough.

EASTBOURNE. Excitement ran high in tho Mayoral election for Eastbourne, and tho announcement that Mr. 11. W. Shortt, tho sitting Mayor, had a majority of 93 over Mr. David Robertson came as a surprise when the final result was posted. MAYOR. Eastbourne. C'ity. Total 11. W. Shortt ......... JO2 23S 340 D. Robertson 7G 171 217 Informal 2 2 1 COUNCIL. East- ' ■ Citv. bourne. Total. •W. J. Organ 2IK 97 345 G. L. Bannatvno ... 231 94 325 C. J. S. llarcourt ... 220 . 92 312 G. Ross 205 101. -30G *F. Wills 210 93 ' 303 T. W. Pilcher 222 •• 77 299 R. L. Button 190 94 281 J. Morris ISO 93 273 Not elected:—W. Hobbs, 2G5; *C. Russell, 259; B. Dohcrty, 255; C F. W. M'Kcnzie, 254; 11. AY. Preston, 239; R. C. Renner, 233; F. C. Crease, 215; J. Hutchen, 20G.

Mr. 11. W. Shortt, who defeated Mr. D. Robertson yesterday for tho Eastbourne Mayoralty, was born in Essex 34 years ago, and came to New Zealand with his parents when a child.. He was educated at the Mount Cook School, and has resided in Wellington ever since, being associated with his father, Mr. W. F. Shortt, in business in Willis Street. Mr. Shortt lias always taken a keen interest in tho development of Eastbourne, and was elected to tho council when the seaside borough was first constituted. He held his seat on the council until 1909, when he stood for the Mayoralty, and was defeated by 10 votes. In 1910. however, he was returned as Mavor by a majority of 109 votes.