The Globe. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1007, 17 September 1877, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 1877.

Now that the ratepayers of Christchurch have got over in a satisfactory manner the election of Councillors, it becomes their duty to look out for a candidate for the Mayoralty who will do equal credit to the city. It is unnecessary to dwell at length upon the importance of placing in that office a gentleman who will do honor to a large city like Christchurch. Recent legislation has placed the municipalities of the colony in a far more important position than they formerly occupied. Before long, too, we may also i look for the establishment of a Mayor’s \ Court here. Its necessity is becoming ' more and more evident. When it is established the office of Mayor will be even more honorable than it is at present, and it will be of the greatest importance both for the credit of the city j and the endsof justice that his Worship should be a gentleman thoroughly qualified to fill the post. In Dunedin there are two Resident Magistrates, and in addition there is a Mayor’s Court, while in Christchurch one official has to perform all the work. This, of course, must soon be altered, and one of the ways of meeting the difficulty will, no doubt, be by the establishment here of a Mayor’s Court. When that day comes we hope the chief magistrate of the city will not only be a gentleman whom all the citizens respect and look up to, but one in whose judicial decisions everyone will place confidence.

At the last meeting of the Timaru Harbour Board a letter was read from Sir John Coode, in which he suggests a line of action for the consideration of the Board. We gather that he is prepared to go on with the harbour works of Timaru if called upon to do so, and, as the Herald puts it. stake his reputation on the scheme which he proposes to carry out. Ii was resolved, however, that as _ the Board has called for competitive designs, it is not necessary to take any present action. On this decision tin Herald says;—“lf the Board had apy inteatioa wjjattivsr of caliiaj i'or

competitive designs for Harbour Works, they should have carried it into execution when lirst they met; hut having failed to do so then, they should have adhered to Sir John Goode’s plan. What will that eminent and world-renowned engineer say when he learns that local men of no professional standing, comparatively speaking, have been invited to enter into competition with him P Is it fair to him that after his scheme has received such publicity and approval, other persons should be allowed to borrow ideas from it, and send them in as their own P We do not think for a moment that a Government Commission would even take the trouble to examine a local scheme ; let alone approve of one. The competitive designs are to he in early next month, whereas Bir John Goode’s details cannot be received for at least six or eight months! What course, then, can the Harbour Board determine upon in the matter P Can they burk Bir John altogether? We should think not. VV r e should not be in the smallest degree surprised, however, if that engineer, when he receives intelligence of his plan being placed in the same category as those of local contractors and others, refuses to have anything more to do with Timaru or its Harbour Works.”