Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. CROMWELL: TUESDAY, JULY 18.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 2, Issue 88, 18 July 1871, Page 4

Cromwell Argus, AND NORTHERN GOLD-FIELDS GAZETTE. CROMWELL: TUESDAY, JULY 18.

The nomination of candidates for the Mayoralty of Cromwell took place as will be seen by our report in another column—in the Town-hall last Thursday. As is usual on such occasions here, more than one gentleman came forward to woo the " sweet voices" of the burgesses, Messrs Smitham and Taylor undertaking to contest the right to sway the municipal destinies of the town during the incoming civic year. That our municipal elections should invariably have the eil'ect of bringing into keen competition the talents of various gentlemen desirous of participating in the management of our local affairs, is a circumstance upon which the ratepayers may congratulate themselves. It shows that they are fully alive to the importance of having our municipal administration thoroughly cared for, and may be regarded as a proof of the vigorous vitality pervading the. townspeople. But at this juncture the question may reasonably be asked What reasons can be adduced by the supporters of Mr Taylor's candidature against Mr Smitham's re-election to the office, the duties of which he has so ably and creditably fulfilled for the last twelve months? We believe the majority of the citizens are thoroughly satisfied with the conduct of Mr SMITHAM during his occupation of the Mayoral chair. And not only by those whose votes placed him at the head of the Corporation last year have his services been appreciated and acknowledged : the good he has been instrumental in procuring for the district is of such importance to its material advancement, and his services have been so unostentatiously rendered, that some who strongly opposed his election when ho first songht the suffrages of the ratepayers, are now to be found in the ranks of his warmest supporters. At evevy opportune season Mr Sjiitham haa advocated and urged the claims of the

Cromwell district before the governmental authorities. To his exertions, in a great measure, must be attributed the openingup for sale and settlement of such circumscribed agricultural blocks us have been with difficulty wrested from the tenacious grasp of the pastoral lease holders. He was the prime mover in the matter of the Supreme Court and District Gaol petition, which, if no more tangible results immediately proceed from ic, has at least had the effect of eliciting from the Legislature an expression of opinion that Cromwell is the most eligible place on the Northern Gold-fields for the possession of those great public requirements. Had it not bean for his unflagging persistency, the Cromwell Post-office would not yet have been commenced, much less completed and occupied. To him the Municipality is indebted for having had its financial confusion rectified and its liabilities liquidated : in fact, he has been the initiator of almost every bene ticial measure adopted by the Council since the last election. No doubt some errors have been committed during his term of office—and we may refer to the expenditure of money in the kerbing and channelling of Melmore-terrace as a case in point; but the Mayor should not be held wholly responsible for the blunders of the Corporation as a body : and the good achieved by then collectively more than trebly condones this single mistake. We have not one word to say in disparagement of Mr Taylor's claims; but we cannot afford to set aside the services of a man who has been tried and proved, to make room for one hitherto unknown in connection with Cromwell municipal legislation. The present is a most important crisis for Cromwell. In the event of the Supreme Court and Central Gaol being established here—and it is most probable such will soon be the case—the Corporation will have largely-increased and onerous duties to perform on behalf of the citizens. Faithfully and effectively to carry these out, no batter man than Mr Smttham has yet come forward ; and we trust the ratepayers will mark their appreciation of his past services by a«ain electing him as the head of the Corporation.