The Globe. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1016, 27 September 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 1877.

The time is now approaching when the citizens will have to select their Mayor for the ensuing year. Already the note of preparation for the contest has been sounded, and one candidate in the person of the present occupant of the office has declared himself. We cannot hut think that the step taken by the ratepayers, who have signed the requisition to the Mayor asking him to offer himself for reelection, was an injudicious one. Mr. Gapes has now en joyed the dignity for twelve months, and it would have been a graceful act on his part to have declined to again contest the chair. As a rule it seems to us that the continuance in office of the Mayor for more than one year is a mistake. The position of Mayor is—or ought to be —to a great extent the reward of merit as a citizen. It would therefore be manifestly unfair for one person to monopolise it year after year. Further than this it prevents the accession of fresh ideas, and the danger is that the energy and zeal which should characterise the discharge of the duties become stagnated. Of course there are exceptions to every rule. Where a Mayor has during his term of office »b,own so muclx ability as to render it

desirable that his services should be retained to the citizens for a still further period, we can understand that there is some grounds for his reelection. We have been careful observers of Mr. Gapes’s mayoral career, and fail to discover any evidence of such transcendent ability as would entitle him to ask the citizens to re-elect him on that ground. His term of office up to the present has been singularly uneventful. Ho brilliant flashes of financial or constructive genius have emanated from the mayoral chair, no work which will hand down to posterity the name of Gapes has been devised by him. On what grounds therefore do the ratepayers signing the requisition base the claims of their candidate to re-election P We have been unable to discover any tangible or sufficient reasons for the coming forward of our present Mayor. There is apparently no dearth of probable candidates to warrant Mr. Gapes, like the Homan of old, sacrificing himself for the good of the city, by again undertaking the onerous and responsible duties of the Mayoralty. Several gentlemen of standing and position in the city, and eminently qualified to fill the office of Mayor, have been spoken of as willing to come forward. Therefore, on this ground at least, there is no necessity for Mr Gapes to again seek election. The interests of the citizens of Christchurch would not suffer if Mr. Gapes would retire on his laurels, and allow the ratepayers to choose from the new candidates. Under all these circumstances we incline to the belief that the candidature of Mr. Gapes is a mistake. However, he has acceded to the wish of the ratepayers signing the requisition, and therefore no more can be said. It is to be hoped, however, that on the day of election the burgesses will carefully consider, apart from all class distinctions, who is the best man, and elect him. The character and tone of the Council dependvery much upon its Mayor, and there fore we trust the selected one will be a gentleman fully capable of sustaining the dignity with honor to himself and credit to the city.

An article which has recently appeared in a French newspaper La Liberie Colon idle appears to point to the intention of the French Government to establish yet another convict-station in the Pacific. The spot selected is the New Hebrides, which are situated near to New Caledonia, now a French penal settlement. The proximity of the latter to our Australian colonies is by no means a source of pleasure, and therefore the proposal to place another penal station on islands —also but a comparatively short distance from them—appears to us to demand attention. The article in question urges many reasons for the adoption of the steps proposed. It points out that the islands are favoured with magnificent harbors and fertile plains, that the climate is excellent, and that already there are a number of French colonists there. The fact that its proximity to New Caledonian would render the garrisoning of the islands an easy matter is also adverted to. The possible opposition of England to the proposed step is deprecated by a reference to our possessions in the Pacific, and it is put that England surely Avould not refuse her sanction to such a small acquisition by France compared to what she herself already possesses. This may be all very well —from a French standpoint—but we cannot regard it in the same light. It is far from desirable that we, in the colonies, should have upon, our borders, as it were, the off-scourings and villany of France ; and therefore, in view of the significance of the article to which wo have called attention, we trust the General Government of New Zealand will take measures to bring the matter before the Home authorities, and prevent the formation of another French convict settlement in the Pacific.