‘WAKE UP, WELLINGTON!'

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 9, 9 January 1913, Page 5

‘WAKE UP, WELLINGTON!'

Under the above heading the Wellington ‘Post’ writes:—No thoughtful citizen here can yearn for a frenzied competition with Auckland as a rt sliow place.” There is no necessity for any clamant “boosting,” which may prove injurious ultimately. There is room in the North Island for Auckland and Wellington. Each city is backed by splendid country, and each is destined lor a great future. The citizens of each, as good New Zealanders, should be proud of both cities. A friendly rivalry, with a care for the foundations of prosperity, can be beneficial to each city and to New Zealand, but a petty jealousy can work only mischief. The future of each must be linked up with the country districts, and for the present Auckland appears to be more conscious of that fact than Wellington. When he was wooing the electors of Wellington East in October, 1911, Dr. Newman indicated plainly that he perceived the importance of a spirited cooperation of town and country for mutual benefit, and he promised to tour the province during the recess. The recess is here, and the weather is excellent fora pilgrimage. We do hope chat it will not have to be written of him, and of others who have high hopes now, as it was in the ‘Post’ eighteen months ago :—“Men have come, and men have gone, with hopes of creating and maintaining a vigorous, good, healthy opinion of Wellington’s own estimation. It, should not be hard to make the capital, ambitiously mottoed ‘Suprepla a situ,’ believe thoroughly in itself, Jbut the task is formidable. Another volunteer, another Hercules, the Citizens’ League, is in the fifeld. ' It is for time to test the mettle of the league.” The test has been applied, and the league has been nothing more or less than a local electioneering body, with nothing but “tickets” to show for all its professions.