THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1797, 24 November 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1879.

The result of the fight for the Mayoralty of Lyttelton will bo looked forward to considerably by the general public. Under ordinary circumstances there would not bo much interest felt in the contest outside of the limits of the borough. Mayoral elections are strictly local matters. Residents in Christchurch hear of certain gentlemen being elected Mayors of Dunedin, Wellington, or Auckland and tbeir digestions are not impaired by excitement. In point of fact these elections, as a rule, are run on such strictly local platforms that it is impossible for outsiders to appreciate the motives which move the burgesses to vote for this or that candidate. Now and then, however, the case is different. A candidate, through some fortuitous circumstance, draws the eyes of others than his fellowcitizens upon his appeal to the Mayoral ballot-hox. This is the case with regard to the election for the Lyttelton Mayoralty. Mr. Allwright’s actions have, of late, attracted much attention. As tho gentleman who is credited with giving the casting vote in the Committee which decided on the legality of Sir Goorgo Groy’s election for Christchurch, all interested in politics were, for tho time, busy discussing his character and motives. Now that tho heat of the dispute respecting tho action of the Committee has passed, wo think it will be generally allowed that the present Mayor of Lyttelton has gained in tho estimation of most men whoso opinion is worth having. There are, of course, exceptions, hut the bulk of thinking men do honor to tho reasons which induced him to record his vote in a direction which was sure to call down on his devoted head a storm of ahuso from certain quarters. Some of tho Opposition journals have raved on tho subject, and have endeavored to impute tho most ridiculous motives to the member of Lyttelton. But it cannot be gainsaid that Mr. Allright acted up to his convictions on tho occasion, and in direct opposition to his own interests. He has not deserted, and never intended to desert tho pledges ho gave on tho election platform, and Las naturally wished all along, as every sane man must do, to stand well with his own party. But a question was laid before him which ho was sworn to decide according to his conscience, and according to his conscience ho did decide. Whether tho question was one to ba placed before an ordinary committee has nothing to do with tho merit of Mr Allwright’s action. Most people are agreed that tho legal points involved in such questions are such as lawyers only are capable of deciding on. But that was a matter which bad not at that time been sottlod by Parliament. Mr Allwright bad simply to do his duty to tho utmost of

bis ability, ami bo acted up to tbo standard which bis conscience placed before him in direct opposition to bis own interests. By doing so ho raised himself in the public estimation. Wo have thought it right to recall to the memory of the Lyttelton burgesses the facts connected with the case alluded to, not because it is desirable, in that Mr. Allwright has acted up to his convictions, that, therefore, he should have an ext ra claim on their votes for the Mayoralty 7, but because wo believe that in certain quarters an attempt has been made to influence voters against him on the ground of his action up in Wellington. Mr. Chalmers, bis opponent in the coming election, has every right to maintain that if ho was put on his trial in a similar crisis, ho too would act without fear of consequences. The bulk of our follow-colonists would, wo believe, do the same. The body politic would bo in a bad state if they would not. Mr. Chalmers has the credit of being a straightforward man, -who would hit out in a truly English fashion if occasion required, and would do that which his conscience might teach him to do, just as Mr Allwright has done. But it will not bo to tbo credit of the burgesses of Lyttelton if any cf them are guided by 7 party reasons to vote against a gentleman who has done what ho has conceived Ids duty under circumstances of tbo greatest difficulty. It is to bo trusted that narrow party motives will have no influence in the coming contest. Fitting candidates for Mayoralties are scarce enough, in all conscience. The class that is wanted is that composed of men with some “ grit ” in them, not men to bo swayed by the fear of what this or that section of tho community may think. The general political views of a man should not carry weight in tho choice of a Mayor. Men of character are required whoso slightest word is as good as their bond, to whom the burgesses at largo can look up to as to men deserving of respect. Business qualities are of course a sine qua non, but among candidates with sufficient business ability character should decide tho final choice. Mr. Allwright should not suffer from the manner in which ho has lately acted in his place in tho House of Representatives. We are quite willing to concede to his opponent an equal amount of “ grit ” with that which the present Mayor has been shown to possess. Wo would concede it to any man who had not distinctly shown that ho was wanting in that quality 7 . But narrow party motives should not for an instant sway the electors, and wo sincerely trust that the battle may be fought out on wide and general grounds.