THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 158, 29 March 1919, Page 8

THE MAYORALTY

MR. LUKE'S POSITION

AN ASSOCIATION'S CRITICISM

The following statement respecting Mr. J. P. Luke's attitude in the Mayoral contest has been made by the Greater Wellngton Electors' Association:— 'The association think it right that tho publio should be definitely informed as to tlie reasons which led the association to support the candidature of Mr. Thomas Slmiler "Weston in the stead of tlie present Mayor, Mr. John P. Luko The association, as a matter of principle, objects, to tlie offico of Mayor being held by a man who is a politician and also a' member of Parliament. It is quite obvious that as Mayor he would have to come to decisions relating to municipal and cognate matters, which is likely to put him in conflict with, or al nnv'rale in some difficulty with regard to "his Parliamentary constituents. Tho association thinks that holding the office of member of Parliament deprives tho Kayor of that independence of conduct and opinion which he ought to possess in dealing with important municipal questions. , furthermore, it appears undoubted that Mr. Luke has on more than one occasion deliberately stated that he did not intend to stand again for the Mayorality. As ho hacroccup'eu the office already for a period of six consecutive years this statement was readily accepted by the association, aud it was lclt that' Mr. Luko, in arriving at this determination, was doing the right and proper thin;;. The members of the association Tiave been informed that Mr. Luke has stated his intention not to stand again to Mr. W. ft. P. Barber, to Mr (1. Frost, and Mr. C. B. Norwood, all members of tho present council and men wlio had been approached with a view lo their contesting tho Mayoralty It was a matter of surprise, therefore, that a deputation should have waited on Mr. Luke to ask him lo again stand as Mayor, and that Mr. Luko should have so "readily made a complete volte face. Tho "deputation, we understand, consisted of a few gentlemen and a number ot ladies engaged in Pied Cross activities, it could hardly be said to bo a deputation, of that kind which would justify Mr. Luke in so readily altering lus fixed determination not to 6tand again. Lastly, the association feels that Mr. Luko desires to drive its members into [he position of regarding him as the only man who could contest tho Mayoralty with a Labour representative. Tho association is not in tho least degreo prepared to accept this position, and think that Mr. Luko has done the public a disservice by electing to stand again, and so possibly securing the election of an extreme Labour candidate. It was said by members of the depu. tntion which waited on Mr. Luke that Mr. AVeston had had no previous experience in municipal management. The same observation could 1)6 justly made of many nble men who have held office in the past, and proved themselves capable administrators. Moreover, to carry tho argument to its logical conclusion would be to ensure Mr. Luke the life tenure of tho office.