THE MAYORALTY

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 123, 17 February 1921, Page 5

THE MAYORALTY

COUNCILLOR R. A. WRIGHT TO STAND DANGER OF VOTE-SPLITTING AN IMPORTANT SUGGESTION Replying to a deputation of citizens, which waited) upon him at the Chamber of Commerce last night to urge that he should allow himself to go forward as a candidate for the Mayoralty, Councillor R. A. Wright, M.P., intimated that he would stand. Mr. Duncan Campbell, who was voted to the chair, said that Councillor Wright’s capabilities were well known, and they hoped to return him as Mayor, a position which he was well qualified to fill. (Applause.) Speaking ns a business man, Mr. D. 0. M'Clay stated that he thought that if Mr. Wright Mood for the office, ho would receive the universal support of the citizens. (Applause.) Mr. M'Clay moved that Councillor Wright should bo asked to stand for the Mayoralty. A Working Man’s Support. "Ab a working man, and having known Mr. Wright for forty years, and as a member of the sane Labour community, I heartily support the resolution," declared Mr. J. F. Kraft. "Many of my colleagues look upon Mr. Wright as as good l as any Labour man —and a jolly sight straighter than many." (Applause.) Councillor Wright, added Mr. Kraft, was a successful business man, which was one of the chief attributes for public life. Councillor Wright could be depended upon to make an excellent Mayor, ns he possessed those qualities of uprightness and sterling character which often were wanting in public men. As a Miramar worker, the speaker would do all he could to further Councillor Wright’s campaign. (Applause.) "I think we need a strong man, and a man of great ability to carry on the work of the council.” declared Mr. M. Vickery. "Mr. Wright is well- known ns a ’straight goer,’ as one who is fearless, and one who tries to he just to both sides." They hoped that some arrangement would lie, made to avoid a Pfreat deal of vote-split tine, but f hoy felt sure that as Councillor Wright topped the poll at the last. City Council election, so would he top. the poll if he consented to stand for the Mayoralty. (Applause.) They would do their utmos. to see that he was. elected. Mr. George J. Petberiek endorsed what the previous speakers had said. Coming from earlv stock, the speaker had known Mr Wright for many years, and was aware of his excellent work on school committees, the Education Board. Harbour Board. Citv Council, and in 1I nrliament. No one could point any reflections on Councillor Wright’s career, and he would be always returned to his positions on public bodies, provided he was willing to stand. They knew that Conncillor Wright was a. busy man. hit. they H W he would be. he time necessary for the. ndfilment of tin Mhvoi-1 duties, (tmdnuen.l Mr .1 Morris also supported the re marks of the previous speakers, and pai ho represented a fairly large section of the community, who wmild bp to extend th'eir support to Councillor Wright. (Applause.) . . The motion was carried unanimously. Councillor Wright’s Reply.

On rising to reply, C " llor n^ wa= received wth applause and he thanked the deputation for having carvied the resolution. Tn order that icould not he said that he had come out nt tho last minute and was responsible for vote-snlittimr. Councillor Wright said that in connection with the Mayoral y his name had been before the public for some two or three months. Before anyone else had made an announcement he had stated that, provided Mr. T '”ke<b'l not seek re-election, in oil probabi lit) Im himself would bo a candidate for. the office. It was not until last I' 11 ' 1 "? that a definite statement- was made that 'Mr Luke would not stand again, and an announcement concerning the speaker wa« made on Monday, so it would be seen that he had lost no tune. He had been practically before the public for *wo or three months, and no definite statement had been made by him that he would not be a candidate. When he was asked by one. or two of the dele--ates of the Greater Wellington Townplanning and Ratepayers’ Association whether ho would be a candidate, ho stated that he was agreeable to his name going before the association, along with I others, in order that one man might be selected to stand, so as to avoid splitting the votes and thus give an excellent opportunity for an extreme candidate to be elected. His suggestion was that the candidate selected should be supported bv the others who had not been chosen. That made hjs position quite clear, for all along he had been in the field, and he submitted that until his name was withdrawn, or some definite statement was made by him that he would not bfe a candidate, that he was still before the electors. Nclv that he had been asked for a straight-out answer, he wanted to say. straight nut, that he was a candidate. rfl'ear, hear. and applause.) But they were faced with the difficulty of vote-splitting, because two others of his colleagues on the council—Councillors N’Kenzie and Norwood —were standing also, and would all poll practically from the same class of voters. His suggestion was. that’.he three councillors who sawe candidates should decide amongst .themselves as to which one of them should go to the poll, and that the other'two should stand down. ■ Failing that, they should submit their names to some impartial tribunal—he cared not what it was so long as it was fail—which should select one of the three names. It would he folly for the three candidates to march to certain defeat, but if they matched only one candidate against another, then it would bo a fair light. “I am by no means blind to the fact that there is grave danger in so hopelessly splitting the votes," con tinned Councillor Wright, I throw out this suggestion for the benefit of '.lie other two gentleman I Lave mentioned, both of whom I respect. I say that we should endeavour to come to terms in order that only one of our number may face the electors at tho end of April.” Ho ventured to say that if that proposition were adopted, the electors of Greater Wellington' would respect them more than if they all went to the poll and none was elected. (Applause.) Councillor Wright stated that he' had been pressed io accept office ou various public bodies on which he sat, out he desired to say that if he stood for the Mayoralty, he' would not be a candidate IoT a seat on the Harbour Board. Should he be elected Oo the Mayoralty and find that his work on the Education Board interfered with his Mayoral duties, then he must withdraw from the board. No- man could do justice to the. office of Mayor and carry on a private business, so he had decided that if he were elected ho would retire front his business and simply become a sleeping partner, allowing his’ I present partner to carry on. He was i putting all his cards on t’he table in ' order ;’o make it perfectly clear that if fie were elected, he would he free to devote his time, and any ability he possessed, tv the duties of the Mayoral office. The duties of tho Mayor in relation to flic financial position would bo very heavy indeed, but should he be elected he would pursue a policy of caution. They did not want any plunging policy, and thoy required to carry out their necessary works without waste. He thanked those present, and those outside who had promised him their

support, and he declared that he would carry on i.'he campaign as vigorously as ho possibly could. Should the suggetion lie had made to avoid votesplitting be adopted—ami he hoped and believed it would—then he appealed to all to take the result!/ whatever it might be, in that sporting spirit for which the British had always been so famous. (Applause.) Councillor Wright was thanked for ’his reply, and those present', resolved, on the motion of Mr. G. J. Pctheriek, to form tffieniselvos into the nucleus of a committee to secure his return.

It is understood that the Greater Wellington Election Committee is considering the names of candidates for the Mayoralty in order to choose the most suitable man from among those announced. and will make its decision known within the. next few days. Councillor L. M’Kenzie invites Kqrori residema interested in his candidature to meet him at the Borough Council offices, Karori, at 8 o’clock to-night.