THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3023, 9 March 1917, Page 4

THE MAYORALTY

MR. J. T. LUKE WILL STAND,

Mr. J. P. Luke, who has occupied the Mayoral chair since April, 191 d, was approached yesterday by a deputation, with a request that he would an-ain offer himself as a candidate 4 tor the oice of Mayor. Tho deputation was headed by the Hon J. h. \\. Aitken, M.L.C.. who said that m making tho request they were aware that they were asking Mr. Luke to undertake lieavv responsibilities and heavy work, but" they felt that his work in the past had been very valuable to tne city. There were, however, dutiesot a wider nature than those appertaining to the position of Chief Magistrate for, the city, and those were tho duties the Mayor of tho Capital City of the Dominion was doing for the soldiers in camp and those returning from the war If the soldiers at the front were asked their opinion they would say that Mr. Luko should bo urged to stand again. In oonsidorinc the Imperial work of tho Mayoral office, they should include the good work that had been done by Mrs. Luke. -The work which had fallen to the Mayoress during the past three years had been ot tho utmost importance, and he did not know of any other lady who would havo given the same time, attention, and experience to it. Mr Tolan endorsed what Mr. Aitken had said,' and mentioned that there were many citizens who had been unable to attend that morning .whose views coincided with those of the depu- " Mr. Luke, in reply, said he felt that it was his bounden duty to continue the work, provided tho citizens required his services. He could not see his way clear to throw up the work at this stage, unless he felt that there was a distinct desire on tho part of the electors that he should do so. If such a feeling existed it had never been clearly expressed. . Mr. Aitken: "There is no such desire."- . , Mr. Luke said that there was much work to be dono ,and someone must do it. In the ordinary courso, haying had four years of office, he would have retired, since four years was as much as a man was entitled to, but in view of tho war he thought he would like to carry on the work of Mayor. During his term of office he had tried not to ho sousitive, not to complain, or be vindictive, and he hoped ho had succeeded. He regretted that on account of the war it had not been possible to carry out progressive work which, he felt was needed. The schedule of works which was brought down prior to the outbreak of war had the approval of a large section of the community, and, in the ordinary courso, they would have made great progress by now with some of the works. As it was, he felt that there would be a hardening up of nuance, and some important works would have to remain in abeyance He appreciated what had been said respecting Mrs. Luke. No one knew better than he how Mrs. Luke had worked. She had the power for organisation, and her heart was in the work for the "boys." If she came out as a candidate for the Mayoralty he would not think of opposing her, as I he knew sho would beat him.