The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCOPORATRED The Evening News, The Morning New and The Echo. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1871.

Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 604, 16 December 1871, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCOPORATRED The Evening News, The Morning New and The Echo.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 10, 1871.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future in the distance, And the good that wo can do."

A few days ago a mysterious looking advertisement appeared in a contemporary summoning a meeting of citizens. The notice ran as follows:— " The ratepayers of Auckland are requested to meet on the Reserve next the Thistle Hotel on Saturday evening next, at 6 o'clock sharp, to nominate a fit and proper person as Mayor for election by the City Councillors" The notice affords no indication of its origin ior authorship, the promoters of the movement having apparently a delicacy of some kind in relation to the agitation. When the subject of holding a public meeting to fairly canvass the important question of tho Mayoralty was first mooted, we were of those who looked favorably on the proposal. Rut in feeling thus we contemplated a different style of thing from the irregular burlesque on a public meeting which appears to _be intended for to-night. This has plainly emanated from the brain of some one that knows nothing whatever of the Corporations' Act, but was willing to spend a couple of shillings in an advertisement on the chance of something turning up. The author of the meeting is evidently under the impression that the Mayor can be nominated by the people, the choice to be afterwards confirmed by the Council. We admit that a man knowing nothing at all on the subject is liable to have such impression conveyed to his mind by the class of correspondence which this question has evoked. But we mistake the character of the greater number of the members of the City Council if they are going to set for themselves the precedent of having the choice of Mayor taken out of their hands. And we do not hesitate to say that any gentleman who may obtain the suffrages to-night, of a meeting so irregularly convened, and for the purpose . of'" overawing the Council, will have his chances of election considerably damaged thereby. Had the meeting been convened in a manner respectful to the City Council, under its sanction and approval obtained, and with character stamped by the names of two or three, or even a single citizen, of respectable position, great good might have resulted from the subject being fairly and dispassionately considered. But as it is, the very authors of the movement being ashamed or afraid to own their connection with it, and hoping to be able to put forward others to draw out their roasted chestnuts, while they themselves may rest concealed, there is no likelihood of any person attend- ' ing with the serious intention of doing business.

We regret that it is so. Although the public have no right to interfere with

the Council iv the matter of this election, there cannot be a doubt that the public expression of a properly convened assemblage of citizens would be listened to with deference. But as the case stands now, the Council is bound by a sense of what is due to its own dignity to reject the dictation of an assemblage, the prime movers in which are ashamed of their position.