WELLINGTON MAYORALTY

Hokitika Guardian, 21 April 1923, Page 1

WELLINGTON MAYORALTY

QUESTION OP LOYALTY. WELL!XOTOX, April 17 The eon lest for the Wellington Mayoralty between Mr ft. A. Wright, M.P., the present Mn.Wyur: M r Peter Fraser, laihour M.P.: and Mr Pen M.cKeiizio. City ('ouneillor and a local chemist, is hegiiiiiing to excite interest. It is generally regarded that there will lie a close contest between -Mr Wright and the Labour nominee, with Mr McKenzie a poor hist on the list. Pressure has been brought to get Mr McKenzie to stand down, so as to have a straight-out contest between .Messrs W rigid and Fraser, hut Mr McKenzie obstinately refuses to do so. Ihe ( ivie League and others have attacked Mr Fraser, somewhat unfair-; l.v, it would seem, on the ground that he had not been very attentive to In's duties as a Cmieillnr last year. The main reason for Ids absence from Council ami committee meetings was that he himself was ill, and for a considerable time his wile was also seiioitslv

Another phase of the attack relates to his loyally, which is being called in C|itestioii over his attitude at the time of the Prince of Wales's visit. The "Xew Zealand Times” to-day says: "The Mayor of Wellington must lie conspicuous for his loyalty. The ehiet citizen who does the honours of the city, ami welcomes distinguished visitors from other countries, receiving them mi behalf of this great city of Wellington. the capital of 'Cod’s own coun-

try.' mitsi he a man of conspicuous loyally. Is Mr Fraser's loyally conspicuous? Is it conspicuous enough to receive princes of the Royal House or prominent foreign visitors and nssuiv them of tlie loyally of the ritizeus of tin's capital of a very important part of the King's Dominion ? For answer to tliai question. search the city', records. You will find in them the City Council's address to the Prince of Wales on his recent visit here, the visit which found many chiefs of the Labour Party sludioiisly and determinedly absent from all the prolentlv against taking pari in any proceedings of welcome. You "ill find, we repeat, the ( oiineil’s address, hut von v.ill not liml the mime of Councillor Peter I'Yascr lining the names of the City Fathers appended fo that j document, lie has sought to explain! that he hail some reason to liml fault | with the terms of Hie address. There is no possible reason of terms, absolutely nolle, that could justify his refusal in sign that address. Hi- name I is not in the list of signatories. He must take the consequences. lie cannot he chosen to express the loyally ol the citizens ol Wellington on nitv occasion requiring the Mayor of the city to express loyalty with no uncertain sound. Surely the citizens oi \Yel-| lington voting in ibis .Mayoral contest ' do not want to vote themselves out of:

the liritish Empire, li -u. let then sternly vote Peter Fraser out cl th Muyornlt v." Whatever M; Fraser may have t< say ill reply lo this, Iris 'iippm ter- evi dently glory in the stand lie look oi the occasion ol the Prime’s visit Numbers of them "ere present at M Wright'- meeting hi.-i night, and whet the latter mentioned this .subject, the) applauded the attitude adopted by M.i I' raser. When Mi Wright uieiitioiiei the Prime ol Wales he "as told l. • ■iii I hat out." and to give then something else. M, Wright, however said it was hi., meeting, and ho wotih address n in his own way. lie sail Mr Fraser was the only Cotnieillor win refused to sign that address of welcome. (Laud applause from the Frasor ites). There were three oilier l.aboin members on the Council, and they signed the address of welcome, as men. as .gentlemen should do. hut Mr Frasei was the only one who declined to sign it. What, would Mr Fraser have dour had lie been Mayor? Fur John l.likt did what wa.s quite right and proper. He gave tin' Prince a Mayoral reception on behalf ol the city. "I cannot conceive.” added .Mr Wright. “Dial .Mi Fraser would have done that ii In would not sign the address of welcome —a very simple ami homely thing. I am not sure that if he liarl been Mayor be would have donned the .Mayoral robes in give that distinguished visitor a welcome, lie would have been embarrassed in the position. J leave ii at that.”