THE MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1392, 19 March 1912, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY.

WHO WILL SUCCEED MR. WILFORD? The announcement that "Mr. Wilfnrd, M.P., will not be "a candidate for the Mayoralty of Wellington iicxt month has given rise to a good deal.of speculation in the city as to who will bo the next Mayor. Several .mimes havo been bruited abroad as possible nominees, but so far it has been impossible to get anything like a decisive answer from those most likely to contest, the chair. It has been sniil that fclio" Labour party will produce a candidate, but so far it lias not definitely decided who it will be, though the name's of Councillors. M'l.arai ami Hindmarsh are both mentioned as possibles. "Seeing that Mr. Will'nrd Ims definitely decided not .to stand for tho Mayoralty, have you any intention of doing so?" was.asked' Mr.Thos.'Ballingor yesterday.

"No, I haven't," replied Mr. Eallinger; "I don't know where-the idea of my standing or that I wrinld consider tho matter came from, beyond that T havo been approached' by feveral people to stand, but I do not think it is in the interests of,my. Internes; to do fo." "When. 1 retired- from' the council," continued; Mr. Eallinger, "I did so as n. protest against a resolution that was passed by thfl council. I had no need to retire; through business ''.'relations'! existing between ■lny'Compan.vand'the/co'Bnoil, for my' business "is a litnired' ; liability /company, and members;.of,\Mich',companies w;ero exempt. ■-I happened what would!be:the.ca'sd if, thiS.prihciple of a member of a. company 'haying dealings with the council was carried to the extreme, and was practically censured for doing so, though absolutely no harm was meant.

"Personally," continued Mr. Ballinger, "I think the whole thins is wrong in principle, ns by debarring those connected with firms who may do a little ..business with the City Council the Legislature severely limits the number of a class of citizen who would be very useful as citj governors, a class that should bo encouraged to interest themselves in tlie city's affairs rather than blocked because suspicious souls think they might be making a. bit out of it. With nearly every job of anv size put up for tender, and tho full list of (endctrs published, there could be little chance for. any Tammanjism of that sort..' '.' ' : ■-' '.

"I still do business w,iHi tho council, though, not so much as I did before lever was a councillor, but. so long" as. the present erroneous-.ideas prevail'l-will keei> clear of it all,''ami'l'thihk""6thcrs will for the same reason."

It is almost certain, that the ActinsMayor (Mr. .Toh,'.i Smith) will his.' a candidate for the Mayoralty.

Mr. Robert Fietcher, on beins asked as to whether h& wonltl .stand for the Mayoralty said that hn was not prepared to discuss the matter.

Another gentleman,' who was named among the "probables." was Mr. J. P. Luke, who was a councillor for a number of years. He said, on being consulted fa.st everting, that he had^not■. given the matter any consideration, and was not prepared, to say anything as to his intentions.

A meetin? of the Wellington Citizens' League is to be held this week to confiflor the aucstton'-'of nominating a candidate for the Mayoralty.