The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1878.

Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 727, 16 July 1878, Page 2

The Evening Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 16, 1878.

Inmcatioss will be found in onr advertising columns that some interest is being taken in the Mayoral election which is shortly to take place. Mr. W. J. Siewaho, the pre- '. sent occupant of the office, in compliance with a strong requisition, has consented to allow himself to be nominated for re-election; whilst Mr. G. SrMFTER, who has already tilled the position in a manner honourable to ' himself and beneficial to the Municipality, has, under equally strong pressure, entered the field as a contestant. Competition in this matter, as in everything else, is de-i----r rable. The candidates are both good men, ' and whoever is elected, there will be no cause for regret. Mr. Steward's Mayoral career may have been marked by the display ' of everv qualification necessary to tit him for the "office that he holds, but there are ; cogent reasons why the Municipal Chair should occasionally change its occupant Whether the time has armed when the ' present Mayor should give place to another ' will be for the ratepayers to determine. • The arguments advanced in favor of Mr. ' Steward's candidature are that his efforts [ to increase the Corporation endowments are ! not yet brought to a successful issue, and that the financial arrangements in connec--1 tion with the extensive works undertaken 1 by the Council are not yet completed. ' These were the reasons urged last year at the conclusion of Mr. Stkw.vki/b term of office, and. as everything in connection with I these matters was in a somewhat crude state jit that period, no one appeared to dissect ! from the opinion that he should remain in 1 otlice (or yet another term, in order to work ' them somewhat into shape. We learn that ' this has now been done, ami the reasons ! advanced last year, therefore, for prolong- * ing Mr. Steward's tenure of ofiiee. no longer ; extst. That the position during the past two years ha 3 been no sinecure we think will be generally admitted. Much work has had ' to ho done, and .Mr. Steward has displayed no little anxiety to do it. He has, at considerable pergonal inconvenience, as Mayor, j identified himself with every public movement, and displayed an amount of energy " and ability that have very properly earned for him the thanks of the ratepayers. But, although his labors in the interests of the Municipality have been great, they have been necessitated by the ex [genres that have arisen during his term of otlice : and we have no right to suppose that there are not other men in the Council that would not, although perhajm in a different way, have accomplished the same objects. To commence with, there is the Waterworks scheme, initiated during his predecessor's tenure of office. During Mr. Steward's reign, the loan has been floated, and the works have been fairly commenced. But th« ratepayrrs know but little of the Council's real financial position in connection with the Waterworks scheme, with the exception that large liabilities have been incurred in connection therewith. With regard to the Municipal endowment*, we think \vc are correct ill stating that, although Mr. Steward has, more so. perhaps, than the ratepayers had any right to expect, been indefatigable in his efforts to secure for Oamaru the endowments to which we are entitled, the result whic ■ has accrued might have been attained with less personal sacrifice on his part. A re our members of Parliament to be entirely overlooked in the initiatory stages of such matters, whilst they are expected to use their endeavors in Parliament to give them the finishing touches? There is no necessity for it. We take leave to think that, satisfactory as the result of Mr. Steward's personal efforts have been in connection with the several municipal matters that he has brought before the Government, at least equally satisfactory results might have been attained had the representatives of this district licen consulted at the outset. Then, again, whilst it must be admitted on all hands that Mr. STKWAjjb has performed the duties of his otlice faithfully, and been the means of carrying a "stag* further the schemes initiated by his predecessois, it is not fair that, in according to him thp praise he merits, we should lose sight of those under whose reign those schemes were brought into existence. We are sure that Mr, j Steward would not desire any such thing. It should be remembered that the past two 1 years have been a period of prosperity, induced by the construction.of the Breakwater and the development'of the natural resources of the district, and that we have been carried along by the irresistible force of that prosperity. Oamarn to-day and Oaowo two or three years ago are very ;

different places ; and the highest civic officer of to-day, by virtue of his position, and quite independently of any special merit. exercises an influence as much greater than that of his predecessor of two or three years ago as is the prosperity now when compared with the prosperity of that period. Let theratepayers not forget the services of those who have served them well in the past, -whether itbeMr. Si'.miter,or Mr. Steward,or any one else who has filled the Mayoral office. It is a matter for congratulation that successful business men come forward to offer themselves as candidates for an office in the fulfilment of which so much sterling business capacity is essential. A Mayor should be respectable and intelligent, and both Mr. Steward and Mr. Sumiter possesses to an eminent degree these qualifications. Mr. Steward, it is true, now knows the ropes ; the ramifications of Municipal matters are ABC to him. But the same might have been said of Mr. Si.mpter when Mr. Stkwakd became Mayor for the first time. It is no argument in favor of Mr. Steward's, or any other public man's candidature, to say that he has become well acquainted with tl;o duties of his office, and that he haa u number of works in connection therewith in a state of senii-eomplotion. The knowledge of his work and the amount of work in hand, will naturally increase year by year, and if ho remain in office until he can present a clean sheet, he will never leave it till death renders him of no further use to the ratepayers. The Waterworks should now be able to run alone; and, as for the endowments, and additional borrowing powers, they can only be gained through the action of our representative;:. Mr. Sf miter explains, in his reply to the requisition of the fatepayem, that he has complied with their request to allow himself to be non'inated in fulfilment of a promise made two years ago, at which period he was compelled to vacate the Mayoral chair through ill-health; and we can thoroughly understand that this, together with a dosire to serve the Municipality are the only reasons why he has tottered, the contest for ;i position which must bring with it harassment and loss to a man of business.