The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1922. TO-DAY’S ELECTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 August 1922, Page 4

The Daily News. THURSDAY, AUGUST 17, 1922. TO-DAY’S ELECTION.

An election to fill a vacancy on the New Plymouth Borough Council takes place to-day. Three candidates offer themselves—Meesre. G. W. Browne, F. J. Hill and R. J. Clarke The fact that three prominent ratepayers such as they are prepared to offer their services shows an awakened interest in municipal affairs Ordinarily it is difficult to induce even one ratepayer to come forward to fill # vacancy such as the present one. This evidence of interest in the town’s welfare may, therefore, Ibe regarded as healthy as it is satisfactory, and it is to be hoped that when the present council retire in a few months—some, according to the Mayor, for good—the ratepayers will be provided with an equally good selection. Messrs. Browne and Hill are former members of the council, the former serving as Mayor for many years, and in both the capacities of Mayor and councillor he rendered fruitful service. The same may Ibe said of Mr. Hill, who, in an unobtrusive way, proved of material assistance to the council at a time when wise counsel and sound judgment were required. Mr. Clarke is the nominee of the Labor Party, and not a few would like to see Labor represented on the Council, if, for nothing else, to obtain first-hand knowledge of the council’s work and difficulties. If Mr. Clarke intends to represent the interests of Labor only, and not the interests of ratepayers as a whole, then we would say the council and the borough would be weakened by his election, but Mr. Clarke for some time acted on the Repatriation Board, and proved a levelheaded, valuble member, and we have no doubt but that, if elected, he would do similarly good and conscientious work on the council. There is, however, only one of the three to be elected, and ratepayers may have gome difficulty in arriving at a decision. Our own view is that the claims of Mr. Hill are such as cannot be lightly set aside at a time like the present, when sound and solid progressive men are required at the council’s table.