THE MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 152, 21 March 1908, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY.

MR. AITKEN ASKED TO STAND,

REPLY TO BE GIVEN TO-DAY. Tho desire which has been felt for some time by a large portion of the community that Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, M.P., should become a candidate for the mayoralty, culminated in a formal request being made to Mr. Aitken yesterday by an influential deputation, that lie should allow himself to_ bo nominated for the office. The deputation, which was a large one, representative of the commercial men of Wellington, waited upon Mr. Aitken in tho Chamber, of Commerce. Mr. D. Robertson, who was, Tilted to tho chair, briqfly announced the object of the 'gathering. Ho said that he did not believe in tho continuative tenure of office, which led to many troubles. Mr. Aitken had shown his value in a mayoral capacitybefore, and if lie could be induced to stand it would be well for tho city. Mr. Hopkirk strongly seconded the request that Mr.-Aitken should become a candidate for the position.. He had the greater pleasure in doing, so because Mr. Aitken had had previous experience in the mayoral office. The present timo was one when no new man should be asked to become Ma;por, but with Mr. Aitken in the chair the city would bo sure to be well served. Mr. Hopkirlr read a lottcr from Sir. 51. Myers, in which the writer expressed his willingness to do anything ho coiild to secure Mr. Ait-ken's return.

MAYORAL RESPONSIBILITIES. •Mr. John Duthie, sonior, said that it gave him much pleasure to see the largo deputation that was present. Mr. Aitken and himself had been identified with politics,in tho past, and he had had full'opportunity of testing Mr. Aitken's worth. They all recognised that the municipal affairs 1 of Wellington were now what he might almost call gigantic. There wore in the electric light and the v-ramway branches' alone very great adjuncts, and the municipality now required at its head a man with some leisure and with some experience. Mr. Aitken fulfilled theso needs, and Mr. Duthie would lie very glad indeed,to. see his friend take offico upon his shoulders. ' It might be urged that Mr. Aitken had filled a longer term than had the present' Mayor, but there was not much in that argument. Thero had been special circumstances operating during Mr. Aitken's long term. There were-a number of /Councillors anxious to contest the office in the event of his retiring, and pressure to avert such contests was several times brought upon Mr. 'Aitken, with tho result that lie had hold the office longer* than ho would have dono under other circumstances.' When ho did. retire several Councillors • stood for the offico, and they were/boaten/ and thoir services as' Councillors were lost to the city. It was not right that a Mayor should, go out of , office at the : end of his'first term, but whon lie had filled two or three terms the case was different; The present ocoupant had held' the offico for three years, and there were no special reasons why he should retain it longer.- Mr. Duthie knew no man more assiduously devoted to his duties than Sir, Aitken had been during his previous term ,'Of office, and he would be very glad to seo him back again in tho position. Ho had been especially happy in his appointments to the permanent staff, and those appointments had very greatly contributed to tho success that haa been attained by the .Council in recent years. (Hear, hear.) The Question of labour was a great matter ( requiring consideration hi • the .'future—tho Council .was now tho biggest employer of labour in the city,. next to the • Government—and thero was need to have at the head of the oity's affairs a man with judicial mind. He knew .of no man likely to deal more intelligently with such a- matter, than Mr. Aitken. — If. would bo well for Wellington if he consented to stand "again. MR. AITKEN'S REPLY. ■■ Mr.-Aitken said he felt very deeply tho honour done to him, and the fact that so largo a deputation had come out on so awkward an occasion as a mail morning, to ask him to contest tho'mayoralty.' Ho had'been' asked by individuals, within tho, last few months, again and again and again, to be a candidate. At first ho had said, no, but so many had been pressing' him that ho had begun to waver. That was the position lie had been in lately, aud the deputation that morning had put the matter to him in the light of a duty which ho owed to tho city. It was true that ho had put in somo five and a half years as mayor, and he did realiso that that was tco long to keep the office. All tho samo, tho citizens of Wellington had treated him so well, and recognised so. fully services he had been able to do'for thorn, that ho still felt it to bo' his duty to do for them tho utmost that •he could,' and to reply 'that, ho inclined at that moment to accxxlc to tho' request of tho deputation. (Applause.) But lie .wanted thorn to_ understand that that was not final and /definite, bccauso he, was in .business, and ho had a partner who was exceedingly good, arid who had: boon one. of. the most indulgent of men so fJr as the speaker was ooncorned. Ho had ' already spoken to' 1 his .partner as to h6w matters could be arranged m tho ovent of his acceding to the request of tho deputation, but finality had' not bcon reached, and ho must ask the' gentlemen present to hold the matter' over for another day, and if ho found it practicable'ha would in all ■ probability • accede to their rfquest. He wishe'd them all to realiso that lie appreciated very highly tho fact' that they had approached him in .this way, , and ho took it as a very high ' compliment that ' they should liavo come to him after ho had sorvod soveral-terms as. mayor ill tho past. .

A UNANIMOUS PLEDGE,,

Mr. Lankshear moved,, and Mr. Baker seconded, a that the mooting pledgo itself, in the ovent of Mr. Aitken standing, to do its best to seciiro his return as mayor. : Tho motion' was unanimously adopted . ■ The question of forming" a committeo was also broached. Mr. . Aitken said: that, if ho resolvod to stand, ho would advertise for a committee, and he was quite sure that. his friends would como forward.' .