The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINGWEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1908. OUR NEW MAYOR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2207, 3 June 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNINGWEDNESDAY, JUNE 3, 1908. OUR NEW MAYOR.

Those who believed there would be stirring times ahead for the. Gisborne Borough Council when the new Mayor assumed office bnve not been disappointed; The first meeting at which Mr. Lysnar officiated in hie new capacity"did not terminate until nearly midnight, whilst the second, commenced last night, did not conclude until lialf-pmt one this morning. The proceedings last night a cre by no means edifying, and even at the risk of again offending His Worship, wo must lay a good deal of the blamo at his feet. l’ho lirst sign of dissension wus given when the Mayor ruled Cr. Bright out of order in making what was obviously fair comment upon the Mayor's action in sanctioning the sending out of a .letter that appeared in the outwurd correspondence. Such an attitude towards a gentleman with the lengthy experience that Cr. Bright has had in local bodies of nirious kinds, even if it had been technically justified, displayed an entire absence of tact. Naturally, the councillor in question strongly resented being treated as a novice in politics, >md he promptly put himself unmistakeably in order by moving a motion which amounkxl to a vote of censure upon the Mayor.- Subsequently he withdrew it in a spirit of harmony that was in marked contrast- to the liprsh methods adopted by Mr. Lysnar. Thus early in the evening His Worship evidenced such a lack of consideration for the councillors that anv chance he might have had when drainage mutters came on of conciliating adverse influences was entirely gone. The discussion on that -subject revealed tho Mayor in his very worst light. Having taken up an untemble position he frantically endeavored to induce councillors to support him, and when his pleadings failed he blundered from one standpoint to another, contradicting himself at every turn, till the .scene beonmo little more than u farce. His. Worship angrily remonstrated with councillors, who wore convulsed with laughter, that they had no right to treat so imporant a matter with levity, hut the only nlteraitive to accepting some of His AVorsliip’s statements as personal affronts was to treat them as humorous incidents, and tho Council wisely chose the latter course. Although opposed to tho present 3favor in the recent election wo believed tint his term of office would probably be marked by a good deal of useful work, particularly as liis municipal programme contained many items with which wo aro in entire sympathy, and we aro still hopeful in this respect. Despite m most •unpromising beginning there is still ample time for 3lr. Lysnar to fully justify the support of those who elected him to his present high position, particularly if ho accepts in a proper spirit tho lessons of his first two meetings.