THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2413, 19 March 1915, Page 6

THE MAYORALTY

MR. J. P. LUKE TO STAND AGAIN. A very large and representative deputation waited on the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke) at the Town Hall yesterday morning to urge him to again allow himself .to be nominated for the office of Mayor. Among those present were the Hons. John Duthie and J. G. W. Ait ken, M.L.C.'Sj ex Mayors of the City, and a number of former members of the City Council. Mr. William Allan, in introducing the deputation, said there was a desire on the part of a very large section of the citizens that Mr. Luke should remain in office for a further term of two years, in view of the several large undertakings which were now in hand or were projected, such aB the extension of the tramways, the increase of the water supply, street widening schemes, etc. Mr. Luke, he said, had been an able and zealous Mayor, and it was felt that at the present juncture it would be in the best interests of the City if he remained in office for the next two years. The speaker stressed the important part which the Mayor had taken in the patriotic movement, and . also spoke of the strenuous public work which Mrs. Luke had performed during her husband's occupancy of the Mayoral chair. Mr. J. H. H. Jack endorsed Mr. Allan's remarks. The Hon. J. G. W. Aitken complimented Mr. Luke on the ability with which he had discharged his important duties, and assured him of very strong support if he consented to become a candidate for his present office at next month's election. x Mr. Luke, in replying, thanked the deputation for the. kindly expressions of appreciation of the work he had done during the past two years—work which, he said, had been more stronuous than in any other like period in former years. He was not going to revert to the strike, except to say that it had piled up on the Mayor's shoulders a great deal of' work and responsibility apart from his ordinary civic duties. The present war trouble was also adding ip-eat-ly to his work, and his time was wholly taken up in carrying out his varied duties. He alluded to the fact that the amount of money available for city works was not so great as he had expected to have, and he pointed out how necessary it was that tlie best use Bhould be made of what was available. After expressing thanks to the deputation for its appreciation of the services which Mrs. Luko and the ladies associated with her had rendered to the public, Mr. Luke said he must regard the invitation of the gentlemen present as a call from the citizens., and ho would, therefore, agree to accept nomination for a further term.