Mayor Aldridge

NZ Truth, Issue 1173, 24 May 1928, Page 6

Mayor Aldridge

/THERE are some prophetic souls liv--1 ing m Devonport, elderly and

highly respectable marine environ of Auckland, who cherish the belief that the man who graces tho mayoral dais there will some day grasp the steering-wheel of national machinery, donning the cap of Prime Ministerial dominance.

The name they quote is that of Ernest Aldridge, who, with only two years' apprenticeship as borough councillor, found himself 'quickly raised to the mayoral edifice. At the last Municipal Conference m Nelson, he cleverly parried the fulsome complacencies of J. K. Archer, p'arsonical Labor mayor of Christchurch, who, apparently resenting the skilful rhetoric of his young adversary, bade Aldridge retreat to his . suburb and metaphorically cultivate his brain area. :

v Aldridge challenged his man to a public debate, m which he felled .Archer with a .stream , of rhetorical missiles. '

Young Ernest is overseer of - the Auckland "Star" composing-room, where, it is to be imagined, he finds constant outlet for a slingful of exclamations beloved of the publlo speaker, whilst : his leisure hours, if he has any, are occupied m penning a salty column of reflections for Satur-, day's edition.

Some day, maybe, the dream of his friends may reach fruition, with Er-' nest's name at the head of pur national polling: booth. ; i Perhaps. . v