PUBLIC OPINION

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12607, 18 November 1926, Page 6

PUBLIC OPINION

NOTICE TO CORRESPONDENTS Northland Resident.—Will make ;n----quiries into the subject of your letter. “Cockie.”—Rather too personal to appear over a pen-name. Frank Edwards (Hamilton). —Your letter will run when it is re-typed. ‘‘Employer.’ s —Suggest you had better join up with tne Socialists. '‘Jacob Levita.”—Not altogether in the best of taste. THE MAYORALTY (To the Editor, “N.Z. Times.”) Sir, —The outstanding attributes of justice and fair play and .resentmentof anything that savours of dictation have always been the proud boast of British people. It is largely this characteristic which has made for the British people a standard of honour and nobility in every corner of the world. That these attributes still dominate the thoughts and actions of our people is evidenced by the general resentment at the dictatorial and unfair attitude of the Civic League toward the present Mayor and the council generally. It is refreshing also to see the dignified stand taken by some councillors when they approached the Mayor on Thursday night last. It is quite evident that our leading public men and citizens generally (except in a few cases) are truly British, and will not tolerate unfair methods from any coterie of men. The nagging methods of the league and its long-winded empty reports during these last twelve months have been nearly as nauseating to decent people as the effusions of its unofficial leader and public spokesman, Mr Stuart Wilson. Unless their tactics are drastically altered and the would-be Mussolini suppressed, the Civic League as a respected body will cease to count long beforo the next municipal election. I am informed that Mr Troup’s selection is merely the personal vote of those present as it was never submitted to tlie ratepayers’ organisations affiliated with the league. If this is so the Civic League is not onlv dictating to all public men, but also to its own affiliated organisations. It was refreshing to see councillors take their share of the responsibility of various works under criticism. The Mayor is merely the servant of the council, carrying out their decisions, not his own. If Kent terrace and I other propositions are wrong, Mr Troup and the members of the council must be equally to blame. Some of them have honourably taken their share of responsibility. At no time in our history has the Mayor been under a greater load or so manv disadvantages and difficulties, and, whatever may be his faults and shortcomings (like everyone, since our Saviour’s time, he has them), he has done much solid work under great difficulties, which in future years will be appreciated. In all things at least he has been a faithful trier. The writer is personally opposed to some of the latest proposals, especially the Hill street tram, which is only toying with a Terv big problem; but are one or two mistakes to blind us to the great amount of magnificent work that has been accomplished? The writer has the greatest respect for Mr Troun, who is credited with a kindly thoughtfulness for others’ feelings and interests. It would, however, have added greatly to his dicnity and nrcstige had .he insisted on the Civic r,eague getting a definite answer from the Mayor before accepting its nomination. If he is elected, and in 18 months’ time has not pleased Mr Stuart Wilson and the secretary of the Civic League, will he think it in keeping with his sense of justice and dignity if tliev nominate someone to supersede him six months before the election ? The issue is verv plain. Are the Me var and councillors responsible to a Uttlo coterie dominating the Civic League and one or two irresponsible outside of it. who would fail to obtain a vote of confidence on any responsible public body, or are they responsible to the citizens who elected them ? The present Mpvor has no notion, consistent with honour and his duty to the citizens, but to stand again and seek their confidence. I suggest, howei er. that the Civic League nominate Mr Stuart Wilson and Mr David McLaren, and nnv other of tboiv members who have much to say and no rcsponsibilitv, for a scat on th« City Council. Surely Hint is their »>la/ v e : instead of continuallv whining because other people do not carry out their poliev, let them go into the council and do it themselves. ( —I am, etc., f FAIR PLAY. “I SHALL NOT GO” (To tlio Editor, “N.Z. Times.”) Sir,—When Mr Norwood says “I shall assuredly not go at the dictation of the Civic League, hut if the electors say I shall, then I must,” he is preparing for defeat. It is a pity that his opponents are not better men. If the Labour candidate secures the honour and the dignity we may have the pleasure of seeing a Labour man shedding his cloak of disloyalty and honouring the King’s representative. 1 Even that might be adequate compen- 1 sation for the dishonour of having a * Labour Mayor through factional dif- ‘ ferences. Assuredly the general vote ‘ will be split as between Mr Norwood . and Mr Troup, and the particular or 1 class vote of Labour will bo as solid * as before. Even Mr Norwood predicts a Labour victory, and he throws ' that at the Civic League. 1 The Civio League is a powerful or- ‘ ganisation. Its choice of men for ■ civio office has not been fortunate. For several elections it has picked the 1 men, has had them elected, and then it has turned round and condemned s their oonduct in office. Never before J have the nominees of the Civic League j blundered as egregiously in office as ’ during the present term. So the Civio League with all its power and ability has failed to provide the mtepnvers . with a council of whose intelligence and aptitude the city might be proud or the ratepavers’ business even fairly i well mannged. And the position is , worse confounded bv the fact that the ' very nominees of the Civio League on i the council have now turned round j and denounced their masters —the . Civic League. The league nominates | Mr Troup, and the councillors whom 1 the Civic League hacked hurl defiance 1 at the league and determine to sup- | port, Mr Norwood. i It seems that the next step is for 1 the ratepayers and electors generally ' tr> take a hand in this business and r clean up the position. The general t opinion is that the Civic League's sel- t ections have proved failures. By their t conduct of the city’s business the coun- I cillors have been found wanting and I condemned. The natural sequence is c that we wnnt. a Mayor who lias not 1 been a councillor and we wnnt rate- r payers, ns councillors who have never i been in office. The slogans for the fi next municipal elections ought to be

“Vote for no candidate who seeks a renewal of office” ; “Vote for now men.” The time is opportune. Never before in the history of the city have municipal business and works got into such a mess. Never before have citizens banded together and obtained from the Supremo Court a veto unon the council’s conduct. Never before have citizens been compelled to approach the Government and obtain an order for a magisterial inquiry into the conduct of the City Council. Mr Troup cannot #scar>e blame. New men ought to sought. Let us have n dean aw*?p. Someone has likened the council to an Augean stable. The ratepayers can clean up the mess nnlv by choosing new men. The Civic League might succeed in regaining confidence if they adopt that policy. To do that thov must abandon their nominee and all their previous now* inep.s, for these have set them in defiance.—T am. etc, CHARLES J. BERESFORD.