MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 2568, 17 April 1923, Page 2

MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS.

THE MAYORALTY.

The last contest for the Foxton Mayoralty was held in 1915 when Mr Alf. Fraser and the present Mayor fought out the issue. The result of the voting on that occasion was: Mr Fraser 297, Mr Chrystall 238. Prior to the Mayoral election of 1915, Mr Chrystall had been a Councillor for a period of four years. The first time he offered his services for the Council was at a by-election, when he polled 48 votes. On the next occasion he was the last of the successful candidapolling 237 votes and at the 1913 Council election lie was at the head of the poll with 557 votes out of a total of 728 cast. Besides his connection with local minor organisations, Mr Chrystall is chairman of the Fire Board, a member of the Harbour Board and a director of the Shannon Co-operative Dairy Co., and supervise* his dairy farm at .trouton. This should he sufficient to keep an ordinary man fully employed, but on top of this he finds lime to conduct services on behalf of (he Methodist Church throughout the district on Sundays.

An unique record is held hv Air P. L. Rollings who is out after the Mayoral chair of Foxton. As a young man lie started his career as a lawyer in Masterton and at the outset was entrusted with the defence in a. mysterious poisoning case, in which lie succeeded in solving a problem which had baffled the police, securing the acquittal of his client, for whom lie obtained substantial compensation. Later, he enjoyed the unique experience of appearing before the Privy Council in London on a New Zealand appeal ease, which he had successfully piloted through the Colonial Courts, and retained his victory in the filial court of appeal in England. Later on he was promoted by the National Government to the Magisterial Bench. As a public man, he commenced his career early in life. At the age of 25 lie was li,'<| elected Mayor of Masterton, and with the co-operation of a progressive Council succeeded in converting that place from a small town into a progressive and important business centre, as a result of which, property there doubled its value and population increased from 3,000 to nearly 10.000. He resigned from the Magistracy last venr to accept an invitation ftom the Masterton people to contest the general election as a Liberal candidate, but abandoned that in order to avoid splitting the Liberal vote with Mr Holmes, who was in the field before him. He then settled in Foxton where he has started his practice as a lawyer and is making his home here. IT is object in seeking the Mayoralty of Foxton is to utilize the benefit of his Municipal experience here and to make Foxton henlthv. attractive and prosperous.