Ten Per Cent Wasted

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 652, 2 May 1929, Page 8

Ten Per Cent Wasted

Informalities at Municipal Poll

ENTHUSIASM without alertness was insufficient at the municipal elections yesterday. Nearly 10 per cent, of the people who voted wasted their efforts. There were 2,504 informalities in a poll of 24,000. Approximately half the electors in tlie Auckland City and suburbs exercised their franchise.

JN view of tlie keenness in which. the mayoral and council elections were contested, the vote of half the people could not be called a heavy registration of feeling. It is true that the formidable nature of the council voting paper, containing 67 names of potential civic administrators, struck terror to the hearts of many electors and turned their good electoral intentions to apathy. As it was, 10 per cent, of those who voted wasted their efforts. The suburbs upheld their interest to the finish of the poll, and in some districts there was a last-minute rush for the booths by those who were returning from city business pursuits. This happened at Takapuna, where the polling clerks were kept busy until eight o’clock. At Newmarket, whence came the loudest and most consistent protest against the existing administration during the year, the poll was comparatively light, and those two councillors who possessed the courage, to face the electors again -were returned. The fact that none of the standing suburban Mayors was rejected, although one or two did not offer themselves for re-election, is significant proof of the people’s confidence. A close contest was registered at New Lynn, where the position of Mr. C. P. Gardner as the borough’s first Mayor is still precarious. The official count might strengthen the position of Mr. H. O. Browne, who is now nine votes behind. COUNCILLORS REJECTED The most surprising absentee from the successful City Council candidates is the name of Mr. J. A. C. Allum, chairman of the waterworks committee and member of the finance and other committees. He is also chairman of the recently-appointed Transport Board, which will complicate his position. Suburban voting was strikingly against Mr. Allum, as an analysis of the returns reveals. Another committee chairman who will not return to the City Council is Mr. S. I. Crookes, who has presided . over the meetings of the town-plan-ning committee for some time.

Labour’s position on the City Council has been weakened by yesterday's vote, its representatives having been reduced from four to three. Messrs. Bloodworth, Mcßrine, Phelan and Davis were members of the old council. Mr. Davis resigned, Mr. Mcßrine Was rejected, and Mr. F. N. Bartram was elected as a new member, while Messrs. Bloodworth and Phelan were returned, the remaining 10 on the Labour ticket occupying places well down in the list. Over 14,000 votes were polled by the two sitting women members of the City Council although the people’s confidence in the two other women candidates was not sufficient to gain them seats. Mrs. E. G. McKay polled 5,370 and Mrs. A. M. Cassie (Labour) received 4,365 votes. Miss Ellen Melville, one of the re-elected councillors, is chairwoman of the library committee. INTERESTING TIME AHEAD The return of Mr. W. H. Murray as third on the council list, and the election of Mr. J. R. Lundon as 17th, promises to raise Interesting situations at future council meetings, for Mr. Murray and Mr. Lundon have been working strenuously together trailing suspected civic scandals, and pleaded for public recognition of certain phases of council conduct. Open meeting discussions instead of committee debates—their long suit—probably will be opposed strenuously by the re-elected Mayor, Mr. G. Baildon. Definite public favour was shown for Mr. G. W. Hutchison, a new man for the council, who topped the poll by a comfortable margin. The election to membership of the Hospital Board of Dr. E. B. Gunson was obviously sought by the people, for he was second on the list to the chairman, Mr. W. Wallace. Mr. Geo. Knight, who resigned from the City Council recently with the intention of devoting his time to the Hospital Board, was rejected from board membership at yesterday’s poll. No change was made in the city’s representatives on the Harbour Board. In Mount Eden Borough four newcomers topped the poll, and two of the old councillors were ejected.