SERVICES RENDERED.

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 126, 14 February 1918, Page 6

SERVICES RENDERED.

Sir,—ln making a brief reference to the contest about to take place in tho Wellington North electorate 1 have no intention of saying anything for or against the various t-iiudidales, or entering into tiie question of their respective merits in a political sense, but there is one point to which I would make sjitcial aliusion, and that is the extraordinary emphasis with which it is being contended that because a man has dono his duty, and no more than Ins duty, in a certain sphere be is entitled to, and even demands, special credit for his actions. Air. Luke voluntarily sought the responsibilities attaching to the Alayoralty, and by placing him in the position of Chief Magistrate the citizens of Wellington expected him, naturally, to discharge, faithfully and vigorously, all the duties connected with the office, and now it would seem as if he anticipated, nay claimed, a special reward for merely performing his duty, as he had undertaken to do, and for which he has been to some extent compensated, pecuniarily and otherwise. Thero are to-day amongst us many working quietly, unostentatiously, and strenuously, who have no thought beyond the satisfaction that is derived from doing their utmost in the hour of their country's need. It is a strange doctrine to laydown that the execution of duties incumbent on all loyal people should be advertised and proclaimed from the housetops for the purpose of helping to score in the paltry game of politics as it is played to-day. . This frequent allusion to self-impos-ed public sorvices is apt to spread a ■disease commonly known as 'swollen head," and it is greatly to be feared that our worthy Mayor has been infected with this complaint, or is, at anv rate, in danger of being laid aside by'this insidious and mentally destructive disorder—l am, etc., ELECTOR. Wellington, February 12.