THE Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24, 1879. THE ELECTION OF MAYOR.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 102, 24 December 1879, Page 2

THE Manawatu Times.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24, 1879. THE ELECTION OF MAYOR.

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d^r bur exchanges vve notice thq-t the suecessf u I oandid^f e f or^ n ?7: din Mayoral 'Cnai^ha*3^ given'notide of hi^ihtentioh^o mov|> ting of the thafcTi 11 *^M^ the electiqilbilthe'Chie^M^gi^rata should lie in tne hcnids of that body;. We have not^ biieri hble^tOyjlearh the reason given by the'mover for suoh .^•.weeping alteration, and indeed *#e iar|vnot aware tbat he even attempted -to .given- any. No m'-it'tbrih^eveif; !*^hat fWSj^iflJehfß mi'ghfo lin s'jlpppit pf -'the- step, aure^ltneiEejareJar^mQrew^ •^.--ItT-iia^r-'lbThe existing arrangement con-duM hag to ha8 K ,been ft el^ctedyto; assttred of "being- the idhpsien oifi^ie people. \ As th%camopaign >Mshic|ig^Qftu>Ji^^ -ture for tbt Mayoral Gnair ivfeueßßiappeal to .the_ masses, an^ cpi*»seSqy_ieht rendering aikac.cpnn'f; 'of ;it neces sarily J oHows that i it 18' a most wHolesbtrie «heok upoa erotic. couaciUors. W

fail to see benefit would result from the innovation, and we certainly believe that Mr. Mayor Fisn, if not standing absolutely- alone in his desire to -make tne contemplated change, will be found in a large minority. (We have. on previous ocea- . Rions-pomtediou'tja/few of the benepresent system, ; *'bu^e'.'aßi£^ii.iftt' / woald be the result were the resolution unfortunately yarned ? The ci.vic.ch»ir wpuld then be in thehandsof theCouncil,And oppor-. tunities. given for the cliqueism and ,log-ro-iingr.which -notoriously exists the selection for the office is 'out of the hands of the electors. We "all know very well how the : strings : are pulled and the oracle worked by partisanship. Mayor Fish aspires to the retention of office, and Mayor ITrsH has a tajl-^- we -aye speaking inietapbbrically — ? the "said appendage being certain other .Gity Fathers who favor the ambition of the aspiring Fish. Councillor Hogg, Km also bis heart.aet upon the proud position, and Councillor BoGG is "not withoutsupporter^'who endorse his so; an appeal is made to Tommy Dodb as to who- shall take precedence, with the distinct under- , standing tbat the winner and suGoessful candidate at the expiration of bis term of office shall .throw his whole weight into the scale to havehis quondam opponents duly in- J stalled as his successor.. We'might ask why is Mayor Fish so anxious , for the change ? Is he af_*aid to leave his future chances to the voice of' •the people? Wedont know, but in the absence of a better reason it is. the most likely solution to the problem. ' Certainly it would have the effect of throwing out of the contest any competitor who had not a seat in the Council, and this in Qur opinion is the only redeeming point in.the proposition -?• a point, however, it -is almost unaeoessary as \pe f eei certain the -eleotorß themselves would not go outside of the Coujncil tq look for a chair 7 man. We have always held-that as long as there are eligible men in the Council— and the fact of their election to, the-of^ce should be agiiaran-. tee of that fact — it ! would be a slight to. lhe body to seek a Mayor from amongst vhe people, as those whp serve the electors honestly and well in a suboi*4inq.te position should ! be fairly entitled ' to preference to , an outsider. Our remarks with re- j gard'to the Dunedin- Corporation will bear application to own and siytnill{ir bodies throught out the colony, and^-e tpust that the good seflse of j the Corporation of Hunedin, and a j deference" for what . wp feel assured j vyould be thejWishes of the eledtp-'sy! will ..prevent the motion of Mr. Fish from .coming^ into effect, so that whatever motive poompted "the. resolution, it may be effectually frustrated.