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Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 998, 6 September 1877, Page 2

The ratepayers have now before them quite an array of names from which to select the nine gentlemen who are to form the City Council of the future. AVe have no desire to venture any remarks upon the merits of the candidates. All we would wish to impress upon the ratepayers is, the necessity of selecting men rather for their business ability and common sense than for their power of talk. As a general rule we find, in assemblies of the nature of the City Council, that the former is in an inverse ratio to the latter. Amongst those nominated, it may he noticed that there are several whose avocations, during a portion of the week at least, may cause them to forget the character of their audience in the Chamber, should they be elected. However suitable a certain kind of oratory may be when addressed to a miscellaneous assembly, it would he out of place in a it administrative body like the City Council matter what was under

discussion, there would be considerable danger of those gentlemen wasting the time of their “ brother ” councillors with wordy harangues in which the orthodox, firstly, secondly, thirdly, and the application would be brought into frequent use. Should all the gentlemen we refer to be elected, the proceedings of the Council would be extended to such a length that a whole day would have to be devoted to the sittings each fortnight. The prospect is too terrible to calmly contemplate, and, therefore, in the interests of the city itself, the other councillors, and the reporters, we implore the ratepayers to seriously consider the responsibility which rests upon them, and pause before they inflict on us such a fearful calamity.