The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1870.

Dunstan Times, Issue 432, 29 July 1870, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 1870.

Beneath the Rule of Men ENTIRELY just the pen is mightier than theswoßD

The elections for the Mayoralty in the several Goldfie’ds Municipalities appear to have ended satisfactorily to all parties, and it was only at Alexandra that there was anything like a close contest. At Lawrence, Mr. Horace Bastings was elected Mayor for the fifth time. After this we may almost set down Mr. Bastings as the perpetual Mayor of Lawrence. At Clyde, Mr. James Hazlett was returned without opposition. This gentleman has the supreme happiness to enjoy the universal respect of the citizens, and we very much question whether a more suitable occupant could be got to fill the May oral Chair At Cromwell, there was a sharp contest between Mr William Smitham and Mr. G W. Goodger, the late Mayor, the former being returned by seventeen votes over his opponent. Both gentlemen are well known in this and the Cromwell district, and we think that both alike enjoy the confidence and respect of the people. It is sincerely to be hoped that the strong party feeling existing in municipal matters at Cromwell will now cease, and that unity, peace, and concord will succeed where chaos formerly reigned supreme. At Alexandra the contest was a remarkably keen one, Mr. William Theyers only beating his opponent, Mr. John Cole Chappie by one vote. In this ca®e party feeling musthave been extremely fine! balanced, and the Returning Officer should heartily congratulate himself that he was relieved from the unpleasant difficulty of giving a casting vote. Both Mr. Theyers and Mr. Chappie have been long resident at Alexandra, and for the exertions of either in forwarding the interests of the town and districts a deep debt of gratitude is owing. At Queenstown it was almost a walk-over lor Mr. Hallenstein, Mr. M'Laren only polling twenty-four votes against Mr. Hallenstein’s one hundred and thirtytwo. This quite endorses the opinions of onr Lakes’ Correspondent, who wrote that Mr. M'Laren merely stood for the purpose of getting up an opposition. We think that there is no better test of how a man stands in public estimation than the number of votes he polls for the office of Mayor. A municipality, if wisely managed, is capable of largely benefiting a town. It may not in itself be capable of much beyond mere local improvements, but its influence and prestige is felt elsewhere. An expression of opinion from the Mayor and Council is looked upon as that of a very large section of persons. This is more particularly applicable to the goldfields where Incorporated Towns represent numerous interests. These towns have grown up with their districts. The tradesman, by his business relations with the miners and farmers, has too much at stake to let public matters alone when they require to be looked after. The interest of the district is his. His business has grown with it, and it is upon its general prosperity that he hopes to succeed. Prosperous towns tend largely to the development of a goldfield; in fact, without the one the other can have no existence. It is from the towns that the miner draws his supplies; it is the towns that provide him with capital to carry on his operations; and if he does so largely contribute towards the support of the business people, they in a conesponding ratio support him. Neither interests can- be prosperous singly. A happy combination of labor and capital is essentially necessary in both coses, It. is only in places where numbers do congregate that new f ideas can be given effect to,

and as a rule they are only generated by contact with others. Where comparative isolation exists, man instead of improving has a tendency to degenerate both morally and physically. Wherever we see a prosperous goldfield we have a prosperous township. and vice versa; and experience teaches Us that out Incorporated Towns exercise such a widespread influence that the surroundingdistricts are deeply interested in their welfare.