BOROUGH BY-ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 August 1922, Page 4

BOROUGH BY-ELECTION.

MR. F. J. HILL RETURNED. MAJORITY OF 167. About thirty-seven .per cent of those on the municipal rolls recorded their votes yesterday in connection with the poll to elect a councillor to the New Plymouth Borough Council to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Mr. W. Rumball. The candidates were Messrs. F. J. Hill, of Westown, G. W. Browne,fof Vogeltown, and R. J. Clarke' (workers’ candidate), and after a fairly close contest between Mr. Hill and Mr. Browne the former was returned by a majority of 167, the voting being: Hill 692, Browne 525, Clarke 240. An analysis bf the voting showed that Mr. Browne secured a slight lead over Mr. Hill at the main booth (Whiteley), but the latter more than made up for this at the other town booth at the Soldiers’ Club. The difference in voting was more strikingly reflected in the suburban figures, Mr. Hill polling heavily in the western end of the town, especially at Standish and Wes town, whilst at St. Aubyn and Devon Street West he also led comfortably. On the other hand Mr. Browne secured almost undivided support from the Vogeltown and Frankleigh electors. Mr. Clarke’s only majority, a small one, was gained at Moturoa, where the polling was light. Fitzroy favored Mr. Hill, as did the drill hall voters to a lesser extent. The returning officer was Mr. R. who A had made complete arrangemdfflw for the poll, and this factor, coupled' with the work of an efficient staff, enabled him to announce the final result at 7.30, half-an-hour after closing time. The majority of the returns were completed in about twenty minutes. About fifty people greeted the announcement of the final figures, which were as

Majority for Hill, 167. The number on the rolls was 5350, of whom 1457, excluding a handful whose vote? were informal, voted, the -percentage thus being 36.72. Mr. Hill has previously held a seat for several terms on the council, but did not seek re-election in April, 1921. Mr. Browne is an ex-councillor, besides being at- one time Mayor of the borough,.

follows: — Browne. Clarke. Hill. Fitzroy 37 •23 53 Drill Hall 43 45 50 Whiteley 142 63 130 Soldiers* Club .. 65 38 114 St. Aubyn 28 19 55 Moturoa 8 14 12 Devon Street W. 21 16 68 Standish 10 8 131 Westown .... 2 6 73 Frankleigh 37 2 4 Vogeltown 132 6 2 Totals .... 525 240 692