The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1913. THE CITY MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1697, 13 March 1913, Page 4

The Dominion. THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 1913. THE CITY MAYORALTY.

- —v —■ It now seems fairly, certain that the contest for the Mayoralty of the city of Wellington will result in a stiaight-out fight between the nominee of the Labour-Sbcialist faction and a candidate who stands as the nominee of no particular class, but on. f°ad general grounds offers his sciviccs to the city. This is as most people had hoped would be the case. I here will be no splitting of votes, and citizens will have a fair chance ot deciding whether they desire to place the control of the city's affairs in the hands of the Labour-Social-wts. or whether they prefer that the business of the municipality should be entrusted to those who are less likely to be led into the unsafe paths by which the Socialists and their allies would hasten to revolutionise society. In classing Mr. M'Laren as the nominee of the Labour-Social-ist faction, we must confess that we ai© somewhat doubtful as to whether the retiring Mayor would re-, gard it as a compliment to be assorted with the Socialist element which has of late become an influence in the Councils of Labour. Mr. M Laren in the past has been a straight-out labour leader, a class man, but so far as we know has never declared himself outright as a Socialist. The Socialists, however, are rallying to his banner, and, in conjunction with the leaders of organised labour in the city, regard him as the candidate who will champion their views on municipal government. But what citizens really nave tolface ( in connection with the coming municipal elections is something far more important than the possibility of the re-election of Mr. M Laren. As a matter of fact, unless we are greatly mistaken, a section ot organised labour is by no means enthusiastic about the retiring Mayor's efforts in the Mayoral ojfre, and is not likely to bestir itself overmuch to secure his return as the city's First Citizen. The really important issue at stake arises out 01 the systematic effort which is belu® n ? ac ' e by the labour leaders in the city to secure not merely the election of their Mayoral candidate, but the complete control of the city's affairs with a view to running them to suit labour ideas. That is the ?,? , 10n which citizens have to face. We have always held that a certain of labour representation on the Municipal, Council is by no means a bad thing. It serves to introduce an element which may at times render really useful service by reason a£ the very narrowness of its point of view. But to place the conul °i i^ 10 city's undertakings and . e whole management of its affairs in the hands of the nominees of the Labour-Socialist faction—the majority of them inexperienced in local government—is quite another proposition, and one fraught with very real danger. Citizens who realise tins ,will only have "themselves to blam6 if the Labour-Socialists are successful at the forthcoming elections. Up to the present the La- , hour-Socialists • have practically had the field to themselves so far as the work of preparing for the coming campaign is concerned. Now, however, that Mr. J. P., Luke is announced definitely as a candidate the Mayoralty—and the only candidate likely to come forward against Mr. M'Laren—the active 1 work of enrolment and organisation should be systematically taken in hand. Already several promising new candidates for the Council have been announced, and there is ample material for an excellent Municipal Council. Mr. Luke, of course, has had a great, many years' experience as a City Councillor, and in a contest limited to himself and Mr. M'Laren should be able to look with canfidence to the support of the great majority of citizens outside the Labour-Socialist circle—which means that if citizens interest themselves his election should be assured.