The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1908. MR. LYSNAR AT THE THEATRE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2172, 23 April 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1908. MR. LYSNAR AT THE THEATRE.

‘William Douglas Lvsnar has made a certain amount of progress since his advent many years ago into Poverty Bay; in fact to those who know him best in the years that are gone his progress must bo looked upon as almost phenomenal. No one would accuse the gentleman in question of being possessed of a tittle more than average ability, his personal characteristics include none of those rare charms of manner,, that mako other men popular, whilst his early train - ing by no means’fitted him for any special distinctions amongst his fellow' men. But Nature makes many compensations, and she supplied manyobvious deficiencies by sonic of fbo qualities that count heavily for ‘access. Amongst these must be named pertinacity of purpose, abundant energy, and a complete indifference to tho hard knocks that invariably bump the man who aspires to rise abovo his fellows. Added to these was- a supremo confidence in William Douglas Lysnar. With him there is a definiteness of purpose that might with advautago be copied by many of his detractors. William D. Lysnar knows what lie wants, and knowing that determines to get it. Ho may get set-backs, but these matter little to him. His blundering methods multiply obstacles that with a more tactful man might never appear, but “W.D.L.” simply bullocks his way through and over them, and in the end usually gets what he wants. It is an apathetic world that we live in, and most people are too tired to persistently oppose any man who is prepared to work energetically for a set purpose. They may object, but it is a feeble sort of protest that soon uie6 down, and then the persistent one has his way. Thus has William Oouglas Lysnar mot with, in his private capacity, a success that has not been attained by many more brilliant men in his own profession. But bis inclinations were by no means restricted to the sordid hoarding of gold. Long ago he decided that tho Dominion’s political arena would provide a suitable scope for his energies as well as ministering to his overwhelming c.living for notoriety. His acquaintances scouted the idea, but Lysnar set to work in bis own dogged way, utilising every possible moans as a .step-ping-stone to the desired end.' First came the Borough Council, and as : s well known, it is not a difficult matter for any man—given a few weeks devoted to energetic canvassing—to get enrolled amongst the City Fathers. Next came the Cook County Council, and hero the Fates intervened in a way that they have of assisting the determined man. His chance of being elected seemod small, but through a mail beiug delayed four ballot boxes from country ridings known to bo unfavorable to him came to hand too late, and lie was declared elected .Needless to add, so keen an opportunist took full advantage of the situation, and ho retains the seat at present-. Then came the Harbor Board election, and again the pertinacious William piloted his way to a scat on that body. During all this time never an opportunity was missed of keeping himself before tlio public. By letters in the press, innumerable Speeches at meetings and by the propounding of extraordinary schemes, lie contrives to always appear in tho limelight. Fellow Councillors may get bored, it matters not; the persistent one talks on until from sheer weariness of flesh the others give in. He does not, of course, always get bis way'. At times his plans for the public good and incidentally for Lysnar’s public advancement—liis enemies reverse this order—are so completely ridiculous that they are self condemned. Beaten at one point, Lysnar retreats but only temporarily. After the matter has been put into shape by other Councillors he calmly emerges into the front once more, coolly claims the now scheme as his own, and because of the aforesaid tiredness of the average Councillor, who

will concede a good deal for a quiet life, and also because of the short memory of tho public, bo gets tho full credit. Most of tlicso characteristics were amply exemplified vt the Thcntro last night, when Mi-. Lysnar made a hold bid for another step forward in his public career by Booking tho suffrages of. the people as their coming Mayor. Never hampered by an embarrassing modesty, the candidate’s address for Mayoral honors might well have been divided into three heads, as follows: “Why I first came into politics,” “What I have done for tho peoplo,” “What I will do for the people if they will but give mo a chance as Mayor.” Tho case with which in a fow words lie settled *?Ti our municipal problems must surely have filled his hearers with a profound contempt for the present Councillors, but it is comforting to have his assurance that as Mayor lie does not anticipate any difficulty in handling an awkward squad. In his own words: “They are all my friends.’ For road problems, whethor it be borough or county, Mr. Lysnar has .me general specific. “Borrow all you can and leave posterity to pay the piper,” and in this respect it must be admitted Unit he is fast qualifying for a seat in Parliament, where the spirit of self-reliance, to say nothing of sound finance, is rapidly being relegated further and further into tho background. Tho real trouble in Gisborne in regard to roads is to got metal, and hero the candidate could offer nothing better than the Wa niroro quarry scheme, which tho Council has now in hand. The earlier part of his speech constituted a lengthy recital of his personal achievements. The amalgamation of the ho rough, tho adoption of tho To Arui water supply scheme, the passing of the Harbor Bill were but a few of the matters that were claimed to his credit. That lie was popularly supposed to have opposed some of the measures mentioned in the list caused him no trouble; he counted them in just the same. As an evidence of his devotion to the people ho quoted the best authority—liis own —'■ that iio had spent three guineas in getting an engineer’s opinion concerning the advantages of iron pipes as against spiral, and £IOO to get the Harbor Enabling Bill passed. In this connection his scornful challenge as to the likelihood of the opposing candidate expending a similar sum of money for the benefit of the people may be accepted as a tasteful allusion to an absent opponent. After spending this huge amount it can only be deemed yet another instance of the ingratitude of a misguided people that at the very time Mr. Lysnar was engaged in hs heroic work, the Outer Harbor Committee in Gisborne was fervently expressing the wish that he would leave the Bill alono and give it a chance to pass. However, past achievements are scarcely a circumstance compared with what is promised for the future. “If you elect me as Mayor,” fervently declared the candidate, “I will pledge my word to give you good roads with metal on every street and road, and also drainage, with never a penny of additional rate.” Proceeding, ho declared that “if the Harbor Board is run on proper lines” (that is, Mr. Lysnar’s lines) “you need never strike another rate, and we’ll give you a £350,000 harbor.” “What more than this,” we ask,, “could reasonably be expected of any candidate?” The method of achieving this result seemed so delightfully simple. ‘Tut it on to the ships” was the recipe in this case, as it was “Put it on to Posterity” in the case of the roads. Unfortunately shipping companies are somewhat mercenary, and it is by no means certain that they would share Mr. Lysnar’s enthusiasm over this aspect of the case. His customary frankness was exhibited as usual in other ways. “If you want progress, vote for me; if you want to stand still, vote for my opponent,” was his naive. way oi presenting an ultimatum to the electors. No point was missed, and he claimed the Mayor’s presence at tlie meeting as a mark of personal friendship, whereas Mr. Townloy merely presided in the fulfilment of liis public duties, and was aetauly one of those who had requested Dr. Williams to stand for the present contest. Treating Mr. Lysnar a good deal more seriously than lie deserves, it may be said that his speech contained nothing that was now in the way of a practical programme, and he said a great deal that was simply ridiculous. His declaration that the water supply system, which, though not yet taken over, is already proven “a white elephant,” is considerably premature, and an injudicious state-, incut at tlio present juncture. His recitals of personal doings of the past, taking in extracts from liis voluminous letters to the press, and jottings from his travels as far afield as Wanganui and Palmerston North, together with liis extravagant promises for the future, were received with the utmost good humor by the audience, which evidently forgave a good deal in noting the earnestness of tlie candidate. Mr. Lysnar does undoubtedly take himself and liis public mission very seriously, but we shall be greatly surprised if the people of Gisborne permit themselves to be made a stopping-stone for the personal ambition of one who, while possessing an abundance of energy, lias neither the constructive ability necessary to frame a municipal programme nor the personal characteristics that should be associated with the position.