CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 488, 22 April 1909, Page 4

CITY COUNCIL ELECTIONS.

. Though the hard work of a City' Councillor has 'no compensation in robes of public honour and a gold' chain, thereare more than twice as .many candidates; for, the. hew, CounciLas ihere are seats; to fill; This is a, very gratifying circumstance, in.its evidence ..'of: public spirit, andit is pleasing'also to note a considerable proportion of new"men 'among those who wish to serve: the city.. \lt is inevitable that, the Council of the. next two years must contain a considerable element of, new blood, since five of the former Councillors, or one-third of, their: total number, .have resigned . their 'seats.: 'At the same time it is important that a fair number of those • candidates who have done useful work in; the present and former-Councils should be re-elected, so .that the 'affairs ,of the city may..not.be left too much to inexperienced hands. The past few years have seen a very rapid/ extension of the services and responsibilities of the, municipality, for which a large expenditure has been required. At the present* juncture, it .is. important .to. refrain, temporarily, from further ambitious projects,. and to allow ;the develop;ments of recent years to become, established, ,and,' as; far as possible,' profitearning, before: depleting further the finances;- Ratepayers will best serve their own interests by returning solid, prudent men, who will conserve the benefits, already, gained and proceed carefully in the future, in- preference to men whose soaring schemes of vast and vague performance are unfettered by financial considerations. Assuming that most of the members of the'present Council who aro among the candidates will be re-elected, a number of seats are still open to the other aspirants for office. ' For these seats it should riot be, difficult to select men who,will worthily discharge the duties arid responsibilities of municipal service. Mb. Ji J. Devine has done good work for ten years of the, City Council, his ; latest period of office terminating only four years ago. The Parliamentary experience and ability of Mr. A. R. Atkinson should certainly be accepted for the city.. Mr.- H. Seaton, , Mr. W. H. Bennett, ;, Mr. R. M'Kenzie) and others - should provo useful members of the Council.', The wide field of choice offered citizens should result in the return of a Council well ■ up to .the average standard of that body.