The Dominion WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1913. THE MAYORALTY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1719, 9 April 1913, Page 6

The Dominion WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 1913. THE MAYORALTY.

Both the candidates for the city Mayoralty addressed meetings on Tuesday last-, Mil. M'Larex a street gathering and Mi;. Luke speaking at the Town Hall. Mit. M'Laren's address was of a rather unusual kind. He appeared to imagine that the way to the hearts of his hearers was to tell them how highly he estimated his own services' as Mayor of the city, and that estimate, it may be remarked, was in no way discounted by any false notions of modesty. Tfiken at his own Mit. M'Lahen has been a quite exceptional Mayor; but whcn'his recital of actual achievements is presented without the adornment of his own eulogies, one is puzzled to discover the reasoning for his outburst of selflaudation. It is not an uncommon thing to find the Mayor of a city regarding himself as. "the whole council when apportioning the credit for work done, and in that respect the present Mayor is not singular. What lie appears to overlook, however, is the fact that in the present contest he is. in a very different position to that in which he found himself when he won the Mayoral office. On the latter occasion he was not only fortunate in having several opponents, who split-the votes of those who do not believe in class candidates for tho Mayoral office, but at that time the city was not threatened with the domination of a Labour-Socialist Council/ Now Mil. M'Laeen has to face'a single opponent, and he also cannot hide the fact that he is standing as tho nominee of the Labour party, and that associated with him is a full ticket of so-called Labour candidates, who arc receiving the support of tho Labour-Socialist organisations. Will Mk. M'Laeen deny that he and his Labour-Socialist friends hope at the coming election to secure the complete control of the city's affairs? YV'e have not the slightest doubt that the city is opposed to tho control of its affairs passing iuto the hands of the Lab-our-Socialist clement. Yet, owing to the number of candidates who have presented themselves for scats on the council, there is a risk that the consequential splitting of votes amongst those outside tho Labour ticket—as against the. solid voting, for "the ticket" by the Labour-Socialists— may bring about that undesirable state of things. Citizens, however, can at least ensure that whatever may happen in consequent of the multiplicity of candidates for tho council, the Mayoral office shall not pass into the hands of the so-called Labour organisations. For the Mayoralty they have a straight-out choice. Mi:. J. P./ Luke is by no means the ideal candidate for the office, but he has a long and useful municipal experience to point to, and on the present occasion he stands for freedom fyom class control in municipal affairs. His speech on Tuesday evening showed familiarity with the pity's affairs, and indicated a recognition ,of the fact that the present is not a time for big undertakings by its municipal governors. The choice between Me. Luke and Mr. may leave some dissatisfied citizens, but all who have tho interests of the city at heart should recognise that by voting for Jan. Luke they arc at least lessening the risk of the Labour-Socialists running the municipality into, difficulties.