SPEECH BY THE MAYOR.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1679, 20 February 1913, Page 5

SPEECH BY THE MAYOR.

< ABOUT CRITICISM. "BE VERY CAREFUL OF SOCIETY." When called upon at the Carpenters' and Joiners' social last'night to reply to thei toast of tho City Council, llr. X). MLarcn, tho Mayor of "Wellington, stated .'nat.iu a public position one expected criticisin. He had been, criticised, and , 111 all sources he had found it fair and honourable, except .in tho case of two of tho this city. In these cases.the criticism was simply a perpetual sneer, n petty jibe, a captious.suggestion tuat there was something wrong where there was nothing ' wrong. That was going on constantly in TitE Dominioi/. . l ain beginning to doubt whether I am the Mayor or whether the paper is," he added. "lhcy seem to know such a great deal' moro about my business than'l. do myself. But," oontinued Mr. M'Laren, "it is not against M'Laren-though they have uq aninius against mo personally—it is Labour all the. time." Mr. M Lareni said that unionira was goine .to do very , little good ■ unless it tackled the land question. "Wo have drifted into a position where the door is thrownv wide open for tho land gambling of t tho land-grabber. We ' will seo the values which have ; been created by the workers swept into tho pockets of the land speculators, and it is, therefore, important that the workers should consoli-. or 'orecs more and more." '7 n UQ cil I have had' all sorts of difficulties to contend with/ 1 contlnued tho Mayor; "because there are only three Labnur men on our council at tho present tune. I hope that next April we 'Will alter that,, and. s*t a full Labour representation, because we have many very important matters to deal withcongested areas, for instance-and when I go into them I find that we are up against this vested interest and that vested interest, . . ,

Mr.,McLaren went on to say that he would tako care not to err in>his capacity us Mayor, lest he. damaged the name of Labour and 6poil tho chances of others who would: come after him. "If I cannot get very much ahead, on collectivism lines, I don't intend to do anything that woiild ■''obstruct tho path of those who follow. ■

' Ho oontinued; 'To all young men going to' be Mayor some day, I say be very careful of _ Society, because the elements wltich go into society and meet their friends at Government House and so on think that they aro 1 called upon divinely to be.the rulers of the earth. They will flatter and bully you in every way to try and draw you from the straight Labour path. The Snobocracy! (A voice: A good name!) Yes, a gpod name. It, is a great-power, too, because it finds its way into all sorts of' movements, nntl it holds a largo number of votes. And I have found it my duty as n. Labour Mayor to go among these people and make them understand thnt a' man from the Labour ranks can be their equal, if not their superior, ns a gentleman. I,have.found these people so unscrupulous in: their methods that they will pass by a man and attack a woman. Again and again I hnvo found them como to mo and greet me with extended hand,'and yet they will talk disJ respectfully of mywifc. I liave cut that kind of thing ns. dend as I can." Concluding, the Mayor said: "I thank .Von (for the toast) in my behalf and in behalf of the City Council. ,If I hove differed .with the councillors on matters of opinion; I hava endeavoured not to bear malico. I believe a change is coming over civic affairs. May wo fo consolidnto our forces until we hnvo ore ab-oliitely united Labour party in New Zealand, working in humanity's interest and for a tausa the mass of the people willraliy. to all the time." (Appkufc.)